The Advantages of Polyvinyl Chloride PVC Board

Posted by Asit Roy on June 28th, 2018

Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC is widely used in the construction industry. But the invention of PVC has equally benefited the chemical and medical community.

What is PVC?

PVC is polyvinyl chloride formed by a chemical process that involves taking the simplest unit called a monomer linking many such monomers together to form a long molecular chain via the polymerization process to produce polymers.

The PVC is a solid and chemically stable substance that is safe to use as opposed to its raw form VCM or vinyl chloride monomer, a reactive gaseous chemical substance which poses health hazards for humans. It is stored in a liquid form under high pressure. Ethylene and chlorine are the basic ingredients for PVC. While ethylene is obtained from petrochemical companies, the chlorine is obtained from a chlor-alkali or caustic soda manufacturing industry.

Benefits of PVC Copolymers

The benefit of using PVC Copolymers over plastic is that the latter only has carbon and hydrogen as the chief constituents, whereas PVC has chlorine (approximately 57% by weight) as well as carbon and hydrogen.

Because chlorine molecules are present, the PVC offers a wide range of materials. Due to the presence of chlorine, the PVC is flame retardant. It does not burn easily at lower temperatures and hence, it can be used in construction as it is also non-toxic. Some of its wide-range of applications extend to medicine, automotive industry and electrical cabling sectors.

Advantages of Polyvinyl Chloride PVC in construction

PVC is the most popular material used in construction over wood, metal, concrete and clay in several applications. It serves a major purpose in drinking water, waste water pipes, window frames, flooring, wall coverings, cables etc.

1. Strong and lightweight – PVC copolymers are abrasion resistant, lightweight, offers good strength and are tough.

2. Easy to install – PVCs can be cut to any shape, welded or joined easily.

3. Durable – Offers resistance to weathering, chemical rotting, corrosion or shock and abrasion.

4. Non-toxic – This safe material is produced in such a way that it meets all the international standards for product safety.

Advantages of Polyvinyl Chloride PVC in medicine

PVC is the most widely implemented thermoplastic compound in medicine as well.

1. Safety – Since medicine is a highly regulated area in any country, the regulations surrounding the use of an overall safe material for medicine packaging is paramount. PVC satisfies all the international environmental and healthcare regulations.

2. Chemically stable – Acid polymers, in general, must stay chemically nonreactive to any liquid that they carry within. PVC is a chemically stable compound that makes it highly valued in the medical packaging industry.

3. Sterilizability – PVC is a unique material that does not harbour infection. It can be easily sterilized using steam, radiation or ethylene oxide.

4. Biocompatibility – When a plastic comes in direct contact with a patient’s blood or tissue, a higher degree of compatibility is expected. PVC is one such acid polymer that is characterized by its high biocompatibility and also allows further increase of surface modification.