Poly(vinyl chloride)

poly(vinyl chloride) is the plastic known at the hardware store as PVC. this is the PVC from which pipes are made. The "vinyl" siding used on houses is made of poly(vinyl chloride). PVC is used to make linoeum for the floor. PVC is useful because it resists two things that hate each other: fire and water.

Poly(vinyl chloride) formula

Because of it's water resistance it is used to make:

-Shower curtains

-Water pipes

It has flame resistance, too, because it contains chlorine. when PVC is burned, chlorine atoms are released, and chlorine atoms inhibit combustion.

PVC is similar to polyethlene, but on every other carbon in the backbone chain, one of the hydrogen atoms is replaced with a chlorine atom. It is produced by the free radical polymerization of vinyl chloride.

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