Vinyl chloride
Vinyl chloride is a colorless, flammable organochlorine gas used mainly to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is also a known human carcinogen.
Polyvinyl chloride: A thermoplastic polymer made by joining vinyl chloride molecules into long chains. Vinyl chloride is the monomer from which PVC is polymerized.
PVC pipe: A pipe made from rigid polyvinyl chloride for water, drainage, or other services. It is a major infrastructure use of the polymer made from vinyl chloride.
Hepatic angiosarcoma: A rare, aggressive cancer arising from the blood-vessel lining of the liver. Long-term occupational exposure to vinyl chloride is a recognized cause.
Justus von Liebig: A German chemist whose work helped establish modern organic and agricultural chemistry. He reported the preparation of vinyl chloride in the nineteenth century.
Free-radical polymerization: A chain-growth reaction in which reactive radicals add monomers to form polymers. Industrial PVC production commonly uses this process to link vinyl chloride molecules.
PVC window: A window whose frame is made from rigid polyvinyl chloride. Window frames illustrate PVC’s use as a durable building material.
Vinyl chloride disease: A disorder associated with heavy vinyl chloride exposure, involving vascular, skin, bone, and liver effects. It describes the broader occupational illness first recognized among exposed workers.
Eugen Baumann: A German chemist who observed that vinyl chloride could form a solid polymer. His observation helped establish the possibility of making PVC from the gas.
Ethylene dichloride: A chlorinated organic liquid, also called 1,2-dichloroethane, used chiefly to produce vinyl chloride. It is the principal intermediate converted into vinyl chloride during manufacture.
PVC cable insulation: An electrical cable covering made from flexible polyvinyl chloride compounds. Plasticized PVC derived from vinyl chloride is widely used to insulate cables.