Additives to Polyvinyl Chloride

Polyvinyl chloride resin, because of its inherent thermal instability and wide range of applications, requires us to develop additive recipes based on specific application and processing requirements. Typical additive packages include stabilizers, plasticizers, waxes, processing aids, pigments, and mineral additives. 

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In addition to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the chlorine-containing polymers and different copolymers of vinyl chloride are polyvinylidene chloride, chloro-rubber, rubber hydrochloride, chlorinated polyolefins, polychloro-prene, and polytrifluorochloroethylene. In addition to detecting chlorine with the Beilstein test (see Chapter 4), these polymers can be identified by using the color reaction with pyridine (see Table 6.2). 

Simply by changing the components added to polyvinyl chloride, we can create a wide range of properties. The receptiveness of the resin to different additives, the many processing methods available to producing polyvinyl chloride-based products, and its low cost combine to make it one of the most versatile polymers in commercial use today. 

High speed stirring has be claimed by Nozaki for giving block copolymers from polymer-monomer mixtures (775). Among the polymers which have been subjected to such a degradation are addition polymers (polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyacrylamide) as well as cellulose derivatives, phenol-formaldehyde linear condensation products and polyethylene terephthalate. 

In addition polymerization, monomers react to form a polymer chain without net loss of atoms. The most common type of addition polymerization involves the free-radical chain reaction of molecules that have C = C bonds. As in the chain reactions considered in Section 18.4, the overall process consists of three steps initiation, propagation (repeated many times to build up a long chain), and termination. As an example, consider the polymerization of vinyl chloride (chloro-ethene, CH2 = CHC1) to polyvinyl chloride (Fig. 23.1). This process can be initiated by a small concentration of molecules that have bonds weak enough to be broken by the action of light or heat, giving radicals. An example of such an initiator is a peroxide, which can be represented as R—O—O—R, where R and R represent alkyl groups. The weak 0—0 bonds break... 

Exposure to Chemical Additives from Polyvinyl Chloride Polymer Extrusion Processing... 

Plastics. Plastics denotes the matrix thermoplastic or thermoset materials in which additives are used to improve the performance of the total system. There are many different types of plastics that use large volumes of chemical additives including (in order of total additive consumption) polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the polyolefins [polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)], the styrenics —[polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)], and engineering resins such as polycarbonate and nylon. 

The major use for chlorine is the chlorination of ethylene to make ethylene dichloride (this is always referred to as ethylene dichloride, but the more proper name is 1,2-dichlorethane) by addition of chlorine to the double bond. Ethylene dichloride, or EDC, is converted into vinyl chloride, which is then converted to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer. There are many uses for PVC, but much of the demand is in the building and construction industry for items such as plumbing, vinyl siding, and window frames. Therefore the robustness of the construction business has a major effect on PVC demand and, in turn, chlorine demand. Other uses for chlorine include water purification, titanium dioxide production, phosgene production and orgamc... 

Polymers can be classified as addition polymers and condensation polymers. Addition polymers are formed by iiitermolecular reactions of the monomeric units without the elimination of atoms or groups. An example is vinyl chloride, which can be made to combine with itself to yield polyvinyl chloride ... 

The direct addition of chlorine to ethylene produces ethylene dichloride (1,2-dichloroethane). Ethylene dichloride is the main precursor for vinyl chloride, which is an important monomer for polyvinyl chloride plastics and resins. 

The ductility of GRT-polyethylene blends drastically decreases at ground rubber concentration in excess of 5%. The inclusion of hnely ground nitrile rubber from waste printing rollers into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) caused an increase in the impact properties of the thermoplastic matrix [76]. Addition of rubber powder that is physically modihed by ultrasonic treatment leads to PP-waste ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) powder blends with improved morphology and mechanical properties [77]. 

Addition polymers, which are also known as chain growth polymers, make up the bulk of polymers that we encounter in everyday life. This class includes polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. Addition polymers are created by the sequential addition of monomers to an active site, as shown schematically in Fig. 1.7 for polyethylene. In this example, an unpaired electron, which forms the active site at the growing end of the chain, attacks the double bond of an adjacent ethylene monomer. The ethylene unit is added to the end of the chain and a free radical is regenerated. Under the right conditions, chain extension will proceed via hundreds of such steps until the supply of monomers is exhausted, the free radical is transferred to another chain, or the active site is quenched. The products of addition polymerization can have a wide range of molecular weights, the distribution of which depends on the relative rates of chain grcnvth, chain transfer, and chain termination. 

Gravimetric hoppers feed a mold with a prescribed weight of polymer. The feed stock is either a finely divided powder or a liquid plastisol. A plastisol is a suspension of a resin powder, typically polyvinyl chloride, in a plasticizer, used to manufacture. Rotational molders use liquids and powders in their process since both flow freely. This property permits the easy addition of the materials to the mold. More importantly, they flow smoothly around the interior of the mold as it rotates. In doing so, they coat the entire surface. 

I, After the part is removed from the mold, it is often necessary to perform additional post-lit processing functions on the product. For example, holes may need to be drilled or protrusions cut off to create an opening into a storage tank. Some parts have very thin regions from which the polymer has to be removed, for example the eye socket of a plasticized polyvinyl chloride doll head. Sometimes multiple parts need to be affixed to one another using adhesives or [It. solvent adherents. 

Polyvinyl chloride is also widely used. Rigid polyvinyl chloride is introduced to the mold in powder form. The material is chosen for durable constructions because of its chemical resistance and ease of processing. It incorporates functional additives and demolds easily. Plasticized polyvinyl chloride can be used to produce flexible parts such as balls and soft toy parts. The polyvinyl chloride is introduced to the mold as either a plastisol or powder. A plastisol is a suspension of granules in a plasticizing agent. When heated, the polymer granules absorb the plasticizer and fuse to form a cohesive, flexible material. 

One outlet for polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride waste is plastic lumber. These materials, often containing more than one polymer and a wide variety of additives, provide superior weather resistance in humid environments when compared to natural wood. To manufacture these materials, the compound incorporates compatibilizers, which allow dissimilar polymers to mix evenly, Additionally, they assist in the incorporation of fillers and additives, such as wood flour, calcium carbonate, and pigments. 

The vinyl chloride monomer polymerizes via addition polymerization to form polyvinyl chloride. The final polymer has the chemical composition shown in Fig. 22.1. The polymer exhibits limited crystallinity, though this property is not often considered as important in defining its performance. It tends to be atactic or regionally syndiotactic, surrounded by extended atactic runs. When exposed to temperatures above 100 °C, polyvinyl chloride decomposes, creating free radicals that further attack the polymer chain, as we shall discuss in more detail later. For this reason, the degradation of polyvinyl chloride is autocatalytic... 

Thermal stabilizers combat degradation by removing the hydrogen chloride that is generated. Additionally, we treat polyvinyl chloride more gently than we do polyolefins. We use milder processing conditions (lower temperatures and lower shear rates) and add lubricants to... 

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