Synthesis, compounding, processing, morphology, structure, and properties of PVC

Poly(vinyl chloride), or PVC, is one of the most important industrial polymers. It is one of the very few polymers that exhibits a strong relationship between particle morphology, defined during synthesis, processing characteristics and final product properties. Understanding how particle morphology defines processing and how additives affect the way different PVC resins behave are the real key factors that move this industry. In this chapter, the reader is given a brief overview of PVC technology, with a special focus on its synthesis, compounding, processing, morphology, structure, and properties.