What Is Vinyl Chloride Used For
However since the mid 1970s vinyl chloride mostly has been used in the manufacture of pvc.
What is vinyl chloride used for. Vinyl chloride is an organochloride with the formula h 2 c chcl that is also called vinyl chloride monomer vcm or chloroethene this colorless compound is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce the polymer polyvinyl chloride pvc. It s used to make polyvinyl chloride pvc pipes wire coatings vehicle upholstery and plastic kitchen ware. Pvc is the world s third most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer after polyethylene and polypropylene about 40 million tons of pvc are produced each year. Vinyl chloride is a colorless flammable gas that evaporates very quickly.
Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride pvc. Higher than normal levels of vinyl chloride may be present inside new cars as the chemical evaporates from new vinyl products. Economical versatile polyvinyl chloride pvc or vinyl is used in a variety of applications in the building and construction health care electronics automobile and other sectors in products ranging from piping and siding blood bags and tubing to wire and cable insulation windshield system components and more. Other uses include furniture and automobile upholstery wall coverings housewares and automotive parts.
Pvc is used in the manufacture of numerous products including packaging films and water pipes. Vinyl chloride h2c chcl or c2h3cl n or c2h3cl cid 6338 structure chemical names physical and chemical properties classification patents literature biological activities safety hazards toxicity information supplier lists and more. Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas that burns easily. About 13 billion kilograms are produced annually.
Vinyl chloride is a deadly toxic chemical despite industry s repeated attempts to hide the threats. Although the industries that use this chemical have known about the harmful effects of vinyl chloride for decades it has only recently been identified as a known carcinogen. Vinyl chloride a chemical known to cause cancer poisons the air breathed by workers and people living in contaminated communities. At one time vinyl chloride was used as a coolant as a propellant in spray cans and in some cosmetics.
When treated with certain catalysts vinyl chloride monomers undergo polymerization and form the larger compound known as polyvinyl chloride or pvc. It does not occur naturally and must be produced industrially for its commercial uses. Rigid sometimes abbreviated as rpvc and flexible. Pvc is used to make a variety of plastic products including pipes wire and cable coatings and packaging materials.
Vinyl chloride is a highly dangerous chemical used to make numerous plastic materials. Pvc vinyl chloride is an organohalogen compound that has important industrial applications.