Everything You Need To Know About PVC Plastic-3
2021-12-29
What are the Characteristics of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)?
Some of the most significant properties of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) are:
1. Density: PVC is very dense compared to most plastics (specific gravity around 1.4)
2. Economics: PVC is readily available and cheap.
3. Hardness: Rigid PVC ranks well for hardness and durability.
4. Strength: Rigid PVC has excellent tensile strength.
Polyvinyl Chloride is a "thermoplastic" (as opposed to "thermoset") material, which has to do with the way the plastic responds to heat. Thermoplastic materials become liquid at their melting point (a range for PVC between the very low 100 degrees Celsius and higher values like 260 degrees Celsius depending on the additives).
A primary useful attribute about thermoplastics is that they can be heated to their melting point, cooled, and reheated again without significant degradation. Instead of burning, thermoplastics like polypropylene liquefy allows them to be easily injection molded and then subsequently recycled.
By contrast, thermoset plastics can only be heated once (typically during the injection molding process). The first heating causes thermoset materials to set (similar to a 2-part epoxy), resulting in a chemical change that cannot be reversed. If you tried to heat a thermoset plastic to a high temperature a second time, it would only burn. This characteristic makes thermoset materials poor candidates for recycling.
Why is Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) used so often?
PVC offers a wide variety of applications and advantages across multiple industries in both its rigid and flexible forms. In particular, Rigid PVC possesses a high density for plastic, making it extremely hard and generally incredibly strong. It is also readily available and economical, which, combined with most plastics' long-lasting characteristics, makes it an easy choice for many industrial applications like construction.
PVC has an extremely durable nature and lightweight, making it an attractive material for construction, plumbing, and other industrial applications. Additionally, its high chlorine content makes the material fire-resistant, another reason why it has gained such popularity across various industries.
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