Index

General Description : An amorphous commodity thermoplastic that can be transparent and colourless but is much more commonly pigmented. It is stiff, strong and inherently flame retardant with quite good chemical resistance (solvents are its weak area, especially stress cracking therein). It has good barrier properties and UV resistance but a limited operational temperature range, becoming brittle at 5C (unless modified) and with an upper continuous use temperature of 50C. As additive-free PVC starts to decompose before it melts, it can only be melt processed by the addition of stabilisers or the use of copolymers (or by the addition of plasticisers which results in products of different properties).

Applications include building products - eg window frames and cladding, pipes and fittings, floor tiles - bottles, film and LP records. Though PVC is widely used as cable insulation, this is normally made from plasticised grades (or sometimes from cross-linked PVC for minimum flammability).