Difference Between Hypalon and PVC

The key difference between Hypalon and PVC is that Hypalon contains both chlorine groups and chlorosulfonyl groups, whereas PVC only contains chlorine groups.

Hypalon is a polymer material containing chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) while PVC is a polymer material having polyvinyl chloride. Overall, Hypalon and PVC are polymers having closely similar applications.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hypalon 
3. What is PVC 
4. Side by Side Comparison – Hypalon vs PVC in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Hypalon?

Hypalon is a polymer material containing chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE). It is a type of synthetic rubber material having a notable resistance towards chemicals. Moreover, this material shows resistance to temperature extremes and UV light. Hypalon is a product developed by DuPont. This material can be produced by treating polyethylene with a mixture of chlorine and sulfur dioxide in the presence of UV radiation.

Hypalon contains about 20-40% chlorine along with a few percentages of chlorosulfonyl groups. These chlorosulfonyl groups are chemically reactive, and they give this material the ability to undergo vulcanization. The vulcanization process can largely affect the physical durability of the products of this material.

Figure 01: An Inflatable Boat

When considering the applications of Hypalon material, it is commonly used with PVC material in producing inflatable boats and folding kayaks. This material is also important as a single-ply roofing membrane. Another important application of Hypalon is the use of this material as a surface coat material on radomes, owing to its radar-transparent quality.

What is PVC?

PVC is a polymer consisting of polyvinyl chloride. This material is a thermoplastic polymer made of chloroethene monomers. PVC is a very common polymer, along with polyethylene and polypropylene. There are two groups of PVC material as the rigid form and the flexible form. The rigid PVC material is important in construction needs, whereas the flexible PVC form is useful for wiring and cables.

Figure 02: PVC Pipes

There are three major steps in the production of PVC. The first step includes the conversion of ethane into 1,2-dichloroethane. This step is performed via chlorination. The second step of PVC production is cracking of 1,2-dichloroethane into chloroethene, along with the elimination of an HCl molecule. The third and final step of PVC production is the polymerization process of chloroethene in order to produce PVC via free radical polymerization process.

PVC has several notable properties, including high hardness and beneficial machinery properties, poor heat stability, good flame retardancy, high electrical insulation, and chemical resistance. Moreover, there are many benefits to using PVC. For example, it is readily available in the market, and it’s a cheap material with good tensile strength. This material is also resistant to chemicals such as acids and bases.

What is the Difference Between Hypalon and PVC?

Hypalon and PVC are polymers having closely similar applications. The key difference between Hypalon and PVC is that Hypalon contains both chlorine groups and chlorosulfonyl groups, whereas PVC only contains chlorine groups. Moreover, Hypalon is made by treating polyethylene with a mixture of chlorine and sulfur dioxide in the presence of UV radiation while PVC is made through three steps, including the conversion of ethane into 1,2-dichloroethane, cracking of 1,2-dichloroethane into chloroethene and the polymerization process of chloroethene.

Below infographic tabulates the main differences between Hypalon and PVC.

Summary – Hypalon vs PVC

Hypalon is the polymer material containing chlorosulfonated polyethylene. The term PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. The key difference between Hypalon and PVC is that Hypalon contains both chlorine groups and chlorosulfonyl groups, whereas PVC contains chlorine groups only.

Reference:

1. “Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts.” Chemical Safety Facts, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Inflatable boat-002” By NJR ZA – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “PVC pressure” By Стрелец Игорь – Мое фота напорная труба ПВХ (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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