Information on PVC Sheets

PVC sheets are often used as the roofs of greenhouses.

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is frequently used as a building construction material. Polyvinyl chloride is cheaper than wood or metal, although it is more expensive than some other plastics, such as polyethylene. Polyvinyl chloride sheets are popular in building construction, and are especially well known for use in the construction of greenhouses.

Disposal

Polyvinyl chloride manufacturers produce toxic chemicals known as dioxins. This creates disposal risks, especially if the PVC sheets are burned. PVC sheets are recyclable, according to Drexel University, but they are often not recycled because it is cheaper to reuse them. PVC sheets are not degraded by light, unlike polyethylene, according to Arizona State University, which makes them more durable, but also adds disposal expenses.

Greenhouse Covering

Greenhouse coatings are a common use for PVC sheets. According to Arizona State University, PVC sheets are not available in sheet sizes which are as large as polyethylene sheets. The PVC sheets may be fused together to increase the sheet size, although this creates additional expenses. PVC sheets are useful as a greenhouse coating because they ensure that a greenhouse contains heat at night, like glass, without being as heavy and expensive as glass.

Plasticizing Additives

Additives are necessary to make PVC an effective, flexible coating. Depending on which chemicals are added to the PVC mixture, the PVC sheets may be clear, or white sheets that reflect light. A PVC sheet may include as much as half of its content as plasticizing additives, according to the Sudan Institute of Science and Technology. Processing raw PVC into shapes such as sheets without adding plasticizers leads to discoloring and destruction of the material.

Durability

Durability is an advantage of polyvinyl chloride sheets. According to Stanford University, PVC is considered resistant to other chemicals, and does not greatly expand when exposed to heat. These characteristics are desirable when selecting a coating for a greenhouse, since the greenhouse may be heated by the hot sun all day and is exposed to inclement weather such as rain storms. The flexibility benefits of PVC provide an alternative to the fragility of glass.

PVC Definition

PVC is a polymer. The name polyvinyl chloride refers to a structure containing many units of the substance vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is a molecule that contains the elements carbon and chlorine. Combining vinyl chloride with plasticizers creates the substance polyvinyl chloride. According to Drexel University, many polymers are known to the public as plastics.

References

• Drexel University: What is PVC?
• Arizona University: Greenhouses
• Sudan University of Science and Technology: Effect of additives on the mechanical properties of polyvinyl chloride
• Stanford University: Weld line strength in injection molded PVC parts