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Lecture 7 PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used plastic that is produced by polymerizing the vinyl chloride monomer. There are two main types of PVC - rigid PVC and flexible PVC. An important property common to both is that PVC is flame retardant or self-extinguishing. PVC is compounded with additives like plasticizers, heat stabilizers, lubricants, fillers, and pigments in order to modify its properties for different applications. PVC has excellent physical properties, can be compounded for a wide range of uses, and is relatively easy and inexpensive to process. It is used widely in applications like pipes, fittings, window frames, wire and cable coatings,

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264 views4 pages

Lecture 7 PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used plastic that is produced by polymerizing the vinyl chloride monomer. There are two main types of PVC - rigid PVC and flexible PVC. An important property common to both is that PVC is flame retardant or self-extinguishing. PVC is compounded with additives like plasticizers, heat stabilizers, lubricants, fillers, and pigments in order to modify its properties for different applications. PVC has excellent physical properties, can be compounded for a wide range of uses, and is relatively easy and inexpensive to process. It is used widely in applications like pipes, fittings, window frames, wire and cable coatings,

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ashas waseem
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Polyvinyl Chloride

The vinyl chloride monomer consists of carbon-carbon double bond and a pendant chlorine atom. This monomer polymerizes by addition (free radical )
polymerization [A.B. Strong].

The presence of chlorine pendant atom causes significant property changes in PVC compared the polyolefin. There are two important type of PVC i.e.
Rigid PVC & Flexible PVC .

An important property of PVC that is common in both rigid and flexible is flame retardant. Material with this characteristics are called self-extinguishing
[A.B. Strong].

Polyvinyl Chloride

Many application of PVC depends upon this self extinguishing property. For instance flexible PVC is used for wire and cable coating chiefly because it
is self extinguishing rather than because of insulating capabilities, which is not as good as PE o PP [A.B. Strong].

The repeating unit of PVC is

PVC’s popularity is due primarily to four factors; its excellent physical properties, its ability to be compounded for a wide range of application, its ease
of processing at relatively low cost[A.S Athalye].
Polyvinyl Chloride
Formulation:
It is obvious that the range of possible formulations bases on PVC is very wide indeed. For each end use, the requirements must be carefully considered
and a formulation devised that will give a compound of adequate properties at lowest cost. Compounds added to PVC include plasticizers, heat
stabilizers, lubricants, filler and pigments [Brydson].

Plasticizers: Impart flexibility to polymeric material. Plasticizers lowers the Tg so that at ambient temperature the polymer may be used in application
requiring some degree of pliability and ductility.

Heat Stabilizer: Heat stabilizers are added to PVC to prevent thermal degradation during processing and also help to extend the life of finished product.

Lubricant: Lubricant aid to melt flow of PVC compounds during processing and prevent adhesion to metal surfaces.
Polyvinyl Chloride

Formulation:

Fillers: are added to lower the cost of PVC compound.

Pigments: are used to give color and opacity to PVC compound

Rigid PVC:

Rigid PVC is used in many application where cost is a major factor, as a result filler are often used to reduce the cost. These fillers also add stiffness and
may give some thermal stability. The use of filler reduces toughness. Typical fillers are talc, calcium carbonate and clay [A.B. Strong].
4

Polyvinyl Chloride

Flexible PVC:

When plasticizer is added to PVC, the plastic substantially more flexible than the rigid PVC. The PPVC is commonly called vinyl. Plasticizers acts like a
solvent to plastic, where only enough solvent is added to cause some disentanglement of the molecules and some breaking of secondary intermolecular
bond [A.B. Strong].

Adding plasticizer to PVC is very beneficial for many applications. The rigidity of un-modified PVC can be reduced by adding plasticizers, although this
increase in flexibility is accompanied by a decrease in tensile strength [A.B. Strong].
Polyvinyl Chloride

Structure & Properties:

The presence of chlorine atom causes an increase in the inter chain attraction and hence an increase in the hardness and stiffness of the polymer. Because
of large chlorine atom on every other carbon atom of the main chain produce a material that is essentially amorphous and does not recrystallize
[Brydson].

Because of wide range of possible formulations it is difficult to make generalization about the properties of PVC compound [Brydson].

PVC has excellent mechanical properties and useful in service over a wide range of temperature. PVC is resistant to acid alkali and almost all inorganic
chemicals [pvc.org]
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Polyvinyl Chloride
Processing of PVC

The process ability of thermoplastic materials depends largely on its melt viscosity. PVC is not suitable for injection molding of large size molding
products, since its melt viscosity is comparatively high [pvc.org]

The tendency of thermal degradation complicates the processing of PVC. Molten PVC has a high viscosity that further complicates the problem created
by thermal decomposition because PVC cannot be heated more to decrease the viscosity and allow easier processing [A.B.Strong]

PVC is suitable for complex shaped extrusion profiles as well as calendering of wide films and sheets [pvc.org]
Polyvinyl Chloride
Application:

The largest single use are of UPVC is for pipes and fittings. One particular area here is in chemical plant. It is off course necessary to check that all the
component of PVC compound will be resistant to any of the chemicals with which plant is liable to come into contact [Brydson].

The second largest Market is that the profiles, particularly for the buildings industry. UPVC has become well established for waste piping and conduits.
UPVC has also been accepted for windows frame [Brydson].

PPVC is used in a wide variety of applications. The long established use in wire or cable coating [Brydson].

Reading Assignment: K-Value, Plastisols, Organosols

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