Flexible PVC is formulated with relatively large amounts of plasticizer (which functions to increase the flexibility of the PVC resin) and then filled with calcium carbonate. Typical applications are upholstery, wire and cable, gasketing, vinyl floor sheeting, and swimming pool liners. More specialized applications include clear packaging and food wrap where clarity and blocking resistance is paramount. Click here to read more about packaging films.
Calcium Carbonates For Flexible PVC
As a general rule, physical properties improve as the limestone particle size decreases. On the other hand, plasticizer demand increases as the filler particle size decreases. The formulating of flexible PVC is a trade-off between many factors, including filler cost, filler loading level, physical performance, plasticizer demand, and overall formulation cost.
Specialty Minerals Ground and Precipitated Calcium Carbonates For Flexible PVC
Flexible PVC usually contains ground calcium carbonate (GCC), also called ground limestone, as the calcium carbonate filler. Loading levels differ by application, ranging from a low of 10 phr for upholstery to over 500 phr for some flooring applications. A finer precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) may be preferred for some end-uses.
Among the many ground and precipitated calcium carbonates Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI) manufactures are the grades recommended for various flexible PVC applications:
SMI’s high-brightness Vicron® 15-15 or Vicron® 25-11 and Rivercal™ 8103 and 8107 are bright ground limestone products.
Hi-Pflex® 100, Pfinyl® 402, Rivercal™ 8103C and Rivercal™ 8107C GCCs are ground limestone products with a low level of surface coating. The surface coating reduces the amount of plasticizer that is adsorbed onto the filler surface. The result is a lowering of the formulation’s plasticizer demand which reduces the formulation’s cost.
For some applications, there is an HCl emissions specification that must be met. SMI’s fine PCC products, Super-Pflex® 100 and Super-Pflex® MS PCCs, can help a formulation meet these requirements. Because of their fine sizes, Super-Pflex® PCCs will quickly neutralize some of the HCl generated, lowering the amount released upon burning.
Other SMI ground limestones and ground dolomites are used for PVC sheet flooring and vinyl composite tiles (VCT). Click here to read more about flooring products and the SMI carbonates for them.
Learn more:
- SMI minerals for plastics
- SMI minerals for rigid PVC
- SMI minerals for flooring products
- SMI minerals for packaging films
- Ground calcium carbonate (GCC) in plastics uses
- Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) in plastics uses
- What is Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC)/Limestone? A minerals introductory webpage
- What is Precipitated Calcium Carbonate? A minerals introductory webpage
- Impact Fundamentals
- PVC Compounding Technology Fundamentals
- SMI minerals in automotive products. See the parts of your car that are made with Specialty Minerals products.
- SMI minerals in housing. See the places Specialty Minerals products are used around your house.
- Download technical data sheets for Specialty Minerals products
- “Fillers in PVC – A Review of the Basics” - download brochure
- Download brochure on Specialty Minerals Plastics Applications Laboratory
- Request a sample
- About Specialty Minerals Inc.
- Quality and ISO at Specialty Minerals
- Plastics Exhibitions. Where we are participating and where you can talk to Specialty Minerals staff about your formulations.
- Specialty Minerals Plastics Publications – General and Impact: Downloadable papers on fillers in plastics and PCCs and talcs in plastic applications.
- Useful plastics websites.
