PVC ADDITIVES | MATERIALS
PVC formulation additive suppliers are continuing to develop alternatives to older, less sustainable technologies. Chris Saunders finds out what’s new
PVC additives evolve in tough environment
PVC is a versatile, widely used polymer thanks to its durability, chemical resistance and low cost. However, to tailor PVC for specific applications – and overcome its inherent limitations – many additives must be incorporated into the polymer. For instance, PVC is prone to degradation when exposed to heat, light and reactive chemicals, so must be protected by the addition of stabilisers. A report from Intellect Insights Journal estimates the global PVC additives market at US$3.2 billion in 2022 – with a 3.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) taking this to US$3.9bn by 2028. Additives suppliers are looking to develop new
products that help raise the performance of PVC – in properties including sustainability, processability and longevity.
Dark arts
Italian chemical company Reagens recently developed a new stabiliser range, which it says can help to protect dark-coloured PVC from the ravages of weathering. The range, Stabilox AV/2193, was developed after studying the physico-chemical mechanism of
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photodegradation that investigated how different acid scavengers improve the photostability of PVC. The research into the was published in the
journal Polymers earlier this year. According to Stefano Gardi, innovation technol- ogy and product safety and regulatory manager at Reagens, erosion of the surface layer, and the photobleaching of the layer underneath, leads to ‘chalking’ – which creates a whitish surface. Acid scavengers play a key role in PVC stabilisers – act- ing on both thermal and photo-stabilisation. An understanding of both degradation mecha- nisms – and the action mode of each acid scaven- ger – is very important when designing appropriate stabilisers, he says.
“Some acid scavengers are more effective than others against photodegradation – while some of are almost ineffective, or even detrimental for photostability,” he said. In the paper, the researchers – including Gardi – tested the effect of different acid scavengers on PVC weathering, using accelerated exposure testing. They found that some acid scavengers, such as magnesium di-hydroxide, had no impact
Winter 2024 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 29
Main image: PVC profiles are a major user of
additives such as stabilisers
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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