The importance and abundance of PVC sheets and products can be fathomed by their demand and application in almost every type of industry. The polyvinyl chloride compound has replaced a myriad of material such as cloth, jute, paper, metals, alloys, etc. depending upon their application. Among all the types of PVC sheets, there is one type, named as flexible or Soft PVC sheet, which is finding multifarious applications in a variety of places. Right from curtains to packaging to cold rooms, soft PVC has proved its worth and won over its counterparts due to its vast range of striking features.
Soft PVC is made from polyvinyl chloride, plasticizers and adjuvant such as stabilizers, lubricants, etc. It has rubber-like softness, better elasticity, aging properties, weather resistance qualities and increased slip resistance.
It is primarily used for sealing purpose and can be utilized anywhere where its qualities can be exploited. With the help of certain pigments and colors, it is possible to stain soft PVC sheet in any color. Usually, the specific gravity of this product varies with the plasticizer content from 1.20 to 1.35 g/cm3.
The few characteristics of soft PVC which makes it highly suitable for a wide gamut of applications are as follows:
Flammable behavior:
Optimum quality soft PVC is flame resistant and the burning will disappear or can be easily stopped after withdrawal of acting flame. However, the flammability increases with the plasticizer content.
Behavior in hot or cold conditions:
The higher the plasticizer content, the better the heat resistance and the less soft PVC is under mechanical stress. But, the resistant nature against cold conditions is not that much good. If you need PVC for extreme cold conditions, it would be better to use special cold-resistant plasticizer.
Behavior towards water:
Generally, water does not affect soft PVC but prolonged immersion in water may lead to 0.1 to 1% water absorption, depending upon the type.
Behavior towards oxygen:
Unlike rubber, soft polyvinyl chloride is highly resistant to aging because there is no double bond in the molecule and thereby, there is no impact of air attack.
Advantages
- Smooth surface
- Clear and transparent
- High level of uniformity
- Free from cracks and bubbles
- Anti-aging properties
- Dimensional stability
- No arcing under low temperature
- Suitable for a broad range of temperatures
- Flame resistance
- Weather resistance
- Lightweight
- Low cost
- Easy cleaning
Disadvantages
- Can be attacked by different solvent types
- Stained by sulfur compounds
Applications
- Electronic industry
- Chemical industry
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Food and beverage industry
- Textile industry
- Workshops
- Cold storage rooms
- Supermarkets
- Warehouses
Apart from this, soft PVC is widely used for covering desktop, table surface, books, notebooks, machines; as curtains; for partitioning and separating work spaces; for packaging; in restaurants, ice-cream parlors, coffee shops, sweet stalls; for welding operations; and much more.
If you also need flexible or soft PVC sheets in transparent or any other stain for any application, contact one of the reputed soft PVC sheet suppliers to obtain high quality soft PVC.
