Definition

• Poly vinyl substances are monomer vinyl particles that have been polymerized, or linked together in long chains as a special type of plastic. These plastics are known as thermoplastic polymers. This means that they tend to be created using large amounts of heat, and react to heat more easily than other types of plastic, becoming soft and more flexible under intense heat.
  
  

Vinyl Polymers

• Vinyl polymers are the general family of poly vinyl substances. These plastics are all made from ethylene, which is found in crude oil and is processed out when other substances like gasoline and diesel are made. Vinyl substances were first invented in the 1920s, when most poly vinyls used today were experimented with and then manufactured. These substances tend to be resistant to moisture, durable and low-cost.
  
  

Chloride and Other Additives

• Poly vinyl materials are usually made with another substance, some other compound that occurs at regular intervals throughout their molecular chain. Most poly vinyls use chlorine as an additive, creating the very common plastic known as PVC, or polyvinyl chloride. Some poly vinyls use acetate or alcohol compounds as their additives, but these polymers are found more often in adhesives.
  
  

Uses

• PVC is famous as a pipe and construction material due to its durability and the variety of colors that it comes in. Walls, tiles and framework can all be made from PVC. Poly vinyls are also used in the plastics that create medical equipment and many different types of glue, such as wood glue.
  
  

Considerations

• Other additives are often mixed in with the poly vinyl groups in order to make them especially rigid or very flexible. These additives can leak out over time and may present a health risk to people around them. Some types of PVC, for instance, have been banned in Europe and other countries because of their high concentration of phthalates, a group of toxic, petroleum-based chemicals.