Flexible PVC Introduction

In this article Chemical Compounds team has taken the time to explain the basic questions regarding PVC material or more specific Flexible PVC. We hope this blog is of your interest and if any further question arises please don't hesitate to reach out. Remember that we are PVC compound manufacturers.

1.- What's flexible PVC?

General PVC description

To answer this question first we need to understand what is PVC.

PVC or Polyvinyl Chloride is a thermoplastic resin capable of adopting many shapes and properties in accordance with the manufacturer or end user needs. This polymer is nothing like others commonly found in the marketplace, such as Polyehtylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyurethane (PU) as it needs to be formulated. Also it is described as a thermoplastic resin because when it is exposed to heat, it melts and can be transformed into any shaped one can barely get to imagine. Plus, it is deemed a polymer because it contains thousands of molecules C2H3Cl/H2C=CHCl that are mutually linked.

Let's try to picture PVC molecule as several linked macromolecules and that as a whole appear to be a potatoe with an irregular shape. Just like a potatoe, the PVC particle is covered by a membrane or outter layer and on the interior it has a porous structure. This porous trait is what makes it possible, with high temperature aid, for PVC to open up just like a popcorn does in order to absorb the different chemical additives that will give additional properties.

FLEXIBLE PVC

Flexible PVC is very easy to process and can adopt several hardness degrees depending on what the customer is looking for. This hardness or stiffness is measured in Shore A scale that ranges between 0 and 100. Normally we find grades that fit between 35 Shore A, which is quite flexible, and 95 Shore A for a semi-rigid material.

We can't repeat enough the importance that customers be aware of the hardness they need for their flexible PVC. This will have an immediate result on how happy your customers will be with your end product.

• A 45 Shore A hardness flexible PVC will be extremely soft, easy to process without really risking a thermal degradation (at first processing attempt) and will give a great elongation before breakage. The downside is that it won't have as good structural resilience and will have a low heat distortion temperature. For this reason, you have to bear in mind in which high heat situations your product will be exposed to. It could be the inside of a container or a vehicle. Additionally, it is very important to cool down the PVC flexible finished product after 24 to 48 hours of being processed because its initial shape could be altered.

• A 85 Shore A flexible PVC is a different story. It can present major difficulties during process when trying to achieve proper fusion and a smooth surface finish without any lumps or imperfections. For its own nature it doesn't provide good elongation properties. The positive side for the, not so flexible PVC, is that it has better structural resilience, of course never comparing to a rubber, and has higher heat distortion temperature.

Another important factor to take into account is the shape of the end product because our perception of hardness will change depending on, let's say, the thickness of the flexible PVC. Also never forget to properly cool down the product before measuring its hardness.

2.- PVC Applications

When a plastic manufacturer wants to produce a certain product but do not know which polymer to use, it is very important that he is aware of the advantages or limitations of each of the options available in the market. Because this article focuses only on flexible PVC, here we'll present some of its applications. If you need more information do not hesitate to check our product catalogue:

1. Window Seal
2. Industrial Hose
3. Dust Cover Profile
4. Medical IV Set
5. Medical Solution Dropper
6. Oxygen Masks and Tubes
7. Food Film
8. Toys
9. Wire & Cable Sheathing or Insutlation
10. Fridge Sealing
11. Car Mats
12. Sandals

3.- Flexible PVC Advantages

We would also like our customer to aknowledge some of the advatanges that flexible PVC has against other plastics. This way you can make an informed decision for your business.

• Low Cost: this is a top reason to choose flexible PVC. If you can accepted a filled grade flexible PVC that is opaque, you will get a much better offer than when talking about a transparent grade.
• Adjustability: this polymer has the capacity to adapt to several looks, forms, hardnesses and get additional properties by being formulated. This gives plastic PVC an edge and the chance to be present in many industries.
• Halogen Compound: flexible PVC contains chloride molecules in its structure which give it the flame retardant property and is why it is the prefered choice for the building market.
• Adaptability: Because flexible PVC is formulated after being polymerized, tailor-made products for our customers can be manufactured.
• Low Toxicity: latest flexible PVC developments are complying with most stringent regulations in regards of the safety of the chemical additives included in formulations.
• Low Odor: even though it is frequently heard that flexible PVC has intrinsic odor this is not true. Chemical additives involved in formulation are the ones confering this odor. We offer low odor grades that you might be interested in

We hope you've enjoyed this article about flexible PVC and PVC applications and that you can leave us your comments. Also you can visit our web page or talk to our technical experts in order to know which PVC compounds is the best for you.

Chemical Compounds