Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products are all around us.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a thermoplastic resin known for its ability to soften when heated. As the most versatile polymer in the polyolefin family, PVC can be processed into a wide variety of products through extrusion, calendering, injection molding, blow molding and so on. Thanks to the addition of plasticizers and coloring agents, the finished products can be be flexible or rigid, transparent or colored.
| Table 1. Examples of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products | |
| Soft product | Electric wire coating, artificial leather, flooring, wallpaper, table cloth, desk mat, wrapping film, waterproof sheet, curing sheet, agricultural films, tents, automotive dashboards, seats coverings,
medical containers (blood bags, tubing), boots, sandals … |
| Rigid product | Water and sewage pipe, industrial pipe, rain gutter, plate for building materials, resin sash, furniture veneer, outdoor building material, resin siding, deck material, duct cover, water bottles, … |
PVC products are susceptible to degradation when exposed to heat, light, oxygen, ect. This deterioration can lead to discoloration and a altered physical properties, resulting in brittle products. To mitigate these effects, it is essential to incorporate stabilizers into all PVC formulations. PVC stabilizers play a crucial role in preserving the integrity and longevity of PVC products.
| Table 2. Examples of stabilizers commonly used for PVC products | |
| PVC products | The stabilizer used |
| Leather for miscellaneous goods, sheets for building materials, wallpaper, flooring materials, … | Barium / zinc complex |
| Wire covering material, wrap film, water pipe pipe … | Calcium / zinc complex |
| Rain gutters, plates for building materials, shrink film for bottles … | Tin type |
| Wire covering material, sewer pipe, window frame, gutter, … | Lead type |
Westlake Akishima and other stabilizers manufacturers have developed advanced stabilizers that enable the successful molding of a wide range of PVC products. These PVC products are used in various applications across multiple industries
