PVC Full Form- What is the Full Form of PVC?

The PVC full form is Polyvinyl Chloride. PVC is a polymer which is made from the process of vinyl chloride polymerisation. PVC is being used in a variety of products such as in raincoats, wires, pipes, bottles, credit cards, flooring etc. Since it resists water and fire, it is useful in making a variety of products. PVC is a thermoplastic polymer which undergoes melting on heating and solidification on cooling. The chemical formula is -[CH2=CHCl]nPVC

What is PVC Full Form?

PVC full form is Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is known as a synthetic polymer, is the monomer unit of an ethylene chloride molecule (vinyl chloride, vinyl chloride, vinyl chloride, chloroethylene, chloroethene, ethylene chloride). It has the chemical formula- CH2 = CCl. The polymer is synthesised by the process of radical-chain polymerization, which occurs in a block or in a suspended state. 

According to the synthesis method of analysis, polyvinyl chloride is divided into emulsion (PVC-E) and suspension (PVC-S). Also, the different types of polyvinyl chloride materials (PVC compositions) are traditionally divided into two groups:

• Non-plasticized or rigid material (designations in different sources are – vinyl plastic, PVC-R, PVC-U, RPVC);
• Plasticized, or soft PVC or plastic compound (designated as PVC-F, PVC-P, FPVC).

Insight into the History of PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC full form) is considered as one of the oldest artificial materials. It all started with the element that in 1835 the German chemist named Justus von Liebig synthesised vinyl chloride – a compound that in the coming hundred years was to play a huge role in industry and in everyday life. In 1872, the German chemist named Eugene Baumann first obtained a polymer of this substance known as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and in the year 1912 Fritz Klatte finally patented an industrial method for the production of PVC where he intended to use hardly flammable polyvinyl chloride instead of highly flammable celluloid. 

But unfortunately, the outbreak of the First World War prevented Fritz Klatte from taking a detailed study of the properties of PVC and the other research like the possibilities of its use, and production was suspended. But, Klatte is significantly considered as the founder of PVC industrial production.

PVC Features 

PVC is actively resistant to moisture, basic acids, alkalis, salt solutions and industrial gases such as chlorine and nitrogen dioxide. Also, the material is also resistant to gasoline, kerosene, fats and alcohol and soluble in acetone and benzene to a limited extent. It dissolves in dichloroethane and nitrobenzene. 

Polyvinyl chloride is considered harmless to health and the environment. In its pure form, polyvinyl chloride is more difficult to process, therefore, for the production of PVC products, it is assorted with various plasticizers, the proportion of which depends on the required properties of the final product and can reach 30% of the total weight of the product. As a result, the stiffness criteria of the end product can vary within wide limits.

Uses of PVC

PVC is known as one of the most widely used polymers with more than Three Thousand different materials and products derived from it. Few of the segments where PVC is used are given below:

1. In Advertising: Use of PVC in signboards, advertising and exhibition stands etc
2. Construction usage: Models, partitions, siding, interior decoration, ventilation, making of pipes, etc
3. Industrial use: PVC is used in making cabinets and control panels, corrosive environment design etc
4. Digital printing
5. In Food industry: Packaging, making trays, containers etc
6. Heavy engineering- Making steel bridges, technological machines
7. Shipbuilding- Building the body parts of the sheep
8. In manufacturing medicines

What are the Properties of PVC?

The main properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC full form) are considered as incombustibility, oxidation resistance, having relatively simple combinations with other materials and low heat resistance. The density of pure PVC measured is 1350-1430 kg / m3 and the bulk density of the material is 400-700 kg / m3. Let us look into  the characteristics of the polymer in more detail. Physical and chemical properties of Polymer are:

Physical properties:

• White powdery substance
• Odourless and tasteless in nature
• Retains good dielectric characteristics
• High water resistance and resistance to acids, bases, oils, alcohols
• Low resistance to the action of ethers, acetones, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and aromatics
• Mixes subsequently with plasticizers, modifiers and other chemicals

Chemical characteristics:

• Does not support the combustion process
• Degrades in case of the strong heating
• ‘Self-ignition’ occurs with heating up to 1100 degrees C
• Glass transition temperature is 70-80 degrees celsius

Few more properties of PVC that makes its application very common are:

• Weather resistance: PVC is resistant to aggressive environmental factors and therefore is considered as the most used polymer for the manufacture of roofing
• Versatility: PVC can be both flexible or rigid depending on the usage
• Fireproof: PVC is one of the hard-flammable materials due to the presence of chlorine compound in its molecule
• Durability: PVC materials can last up to 100 years or more as it is highly durable in nature
• Hygiene: PVC is the most used polymer for manufacturing medical products, in particular containers for storing blood components due to its good hygienic property.
• Barrier properties: PVC has a very low permeability to liquids, vapours and gases. It act as a solid substance
• Recyclable: PVC is more easily recyclable than many other polymers
• Profitability: PVC is the cheapest of all large-scale polymers, serving the best price-quality ratio for many products

PVC Manufacturing Method

PVC, full form of which is Polyvinyl chloride, is synthesised by the process of polymerisation of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and VCM in turn, is synthesised from the chlorination of ethylene. The resulting substance, ethylene dichloride (EDC) undergoes pyrolysis in a cracking device. The chemical formula is-

CH2=CHCl → -[CH2=CHCl]n–

A large number of vinyl chloride monomers undergo addition` polymerization to produce polyvinyl chloride. The well known polymerization process to synthesis Polyvinyl chloride (PVC full form) is:

• Emulsion or suspension polymerization
• Suspension polymerization