PVC in the UV

[nilseng]

How does PVC perform in UV light? Does anyone have a optical spectrum of PVC down to 200nm?

 

[plastx]

Overall, better than most plastics with regard to UV property degradation. Color shift is low. Evidence of this is the widespread use of vinyl siding on houses. Since you are probably not making vinyl siding take into account what properties are key to your application and see where UV will shift the properties over time. Impact will drop for example.

 

[Demon3]

PVC is very good in UV light. As mentioned, it is used in siding (plastic sheets for the side of houses, especially popular in the USA) as well as gutters etc. For high quality siding where you need better UV stability and colour retention than PVC can give then the siding is coexttruded with a PVC base and a thin top layer of ASA. The ASA has superb UV stability in terms of properties and colour. Also the ASA is compatible with PVC giving excellent adhesion and allowing recylcing of the PVC/ASA laminate.

 

[nilseng]

I need to clarify myself, by "perfrom" I meant how transparent is it in the UV? Sorry for being so nonspecific.

 

[Demon3]

Hmm, I half suspected that you meant that. It should perform relatively well as it has no groups that should adsorb UV. On the other hand the typical PVC additives, especially plasticisers can adsorb UV light and the pigments may as well. It's very easy to measure it if you're interested. Any university will have a uv/vis spectrometer.