PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a commodity thermoplastic produced by the free-radical polymerisation of vinyl chloride, and it is the third most produced synthetic polymer. Because the chains interact strongly, the unplasticised resin is rigid and is processed with a high level of lubricant and thermal stabiliser [1]. Adding a plasticiser inserts small molecules between the chains and lowers the glass transition, converting the rigid material into a flexible one, and the plasticiser content can reach forty percent of the formulation [2]. The polymer is thermally unstable above roughly a hundred and fifty degrees, losing hydrogen chloride and forming conjugated sequences that discolour the part, so the stabiliser system is essential [3]. Concern about the migration of phthalate plasticisers has shifted the industry towards higher-molecular-weight alternatives [4]. Mechanical recycling is limited by the mixed additives in post-consumer waste, and the chlorine content complicates any thermal route [5].
- vinyl chloride
- plasticizer
- thermal stabilizer
- dehydrochlorination
- rigid pipe
- phthalate
- glass transition
Polymer Science and PVC·Polymers and Plastics·Materials Science·Physical Sciences
References
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- Kou, M.; Li, K. Graft Reaction of Furfural with Polyvinyl Chloride and Its Effect on Thermal Stability of Polyvinyl Chloride. Organics 2025, 6, 12. [CrossRef]
- Dannis, M.L. Studies in Plasticization of Polyvinyl Chloride. II. Plasticizer Variations in PVC-Plasticizer Systems. Journal of Applied Physics 1950, 21, 510-513. [CrossRef]
- Shen, G.; Zhao, Y.; Ma, M.; Wang, Y.; Hao, X.; Yuan, G. Enhancing the Initial Whiteness and Long-Term Thermal Stability of Polyvinyl Chloride by Utilizing Layered Double Hydroxides with Low Surface Basicity. Polymers 2023, 15, 1043. [CrossRef]