Poly(Vinyl Chloride)

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is one of the most versatile thermoplastics because it is compounded with a variety of additives to produce materials suitable for an extensive range of applications. By the 1970s, it was manufactured worldwide, and was one of the largest tonnage plastics. At that time there were health and environmental concerns about PVC manufacture and additives. In Europe, organizations with PVC interests worked together toward a voluntary commitment, known as Vinyl 2010, to improve the environmental profile of PVC. PVC sustainability is now an important consideration worldwide. This chapter reviews polymerization methods, structure, compounding, properties, and processing of both rigid and flexible PVC. Additives are considered in detail, particularly stabilizers, essential in PVC processing due to the inherent instability of PVC, and plasticizers which are used to reduce the glass transition temperature to produce flexible products. Some typical formulations for particular applications are included. PVC products are used for a variety of applications including construction, transport, health care, and sports and leisure products.