Oriented poly(vinyl chloride) (o-PVC) has the potential to revolutionize the pipe and water transmission markets because it is stronger but also uses much less material than conventional PVC pipe. Nonetheless, it has not taken over yet because the o-PVC pipe compound lacks sufficient melt strength at high strain rates such that the molten pipes prematurely rupture. Therefore, the orientation process and, thus, the production rate is reduced, but this slower production rate is not economically viable. To address this problem, high molecular weight acrylic process aids have been added to increase the melt strength of the PVC compound when strained at high rates. Using a uniaxial tensile test, it was shown that the strain limit of the o-PVC pipe compound increases with both the molecular weight and the loading of the process aid additive. More specifically, the highest molecular weight process aid, provided the greatest increase to the strain limit, going from ~100% to 130-140%, and this increase is significant because the extruded pipe must sustain ~120% strain during the orientation process to ultimately double its diameter after release of stress and cooling.

Use of high molecular weight process aids for the production of oriented-poly(vinyl chloride)

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.