Poly(vinyl
chloride) is the full name and every one of us had already contact with it:
from in-house applications such as floor and window profiles over shoes up to
swimming devices and medical equipment. More engineering applications are for
example pipes.
PVC is a
thermoplastic polymer consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl).
The molar
weight of this polymer contains 56.7% of chlorine [1], which means that less
petroleum and gas resources are needed for its production in comparison to
other polyolefins. This elevated content of chlorine also provides PVC
with flame-retarding properties. As a result, PVC holds the lead in civil
engineering applications, such as isolations and floorings.
During WW2
when natural rubber got short due to its extensive use as isolator, PVC was
used as a replacement material helping to safe also the tropical Hevea tree.
PVC is one of the most versatile polymers. Though
often ecological initiatives have tried to “down-size” PVC utilization, its
worldwide production follows a growing path (see collage below based on Ceresana-report).
[1] W. Kaiser: Kunststoffchemie
für Ingenieure: Von der Synthese bis zur Anwendung, Carl Hanser (2011)
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