Durable PVC less likely to shed microplastics

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastics currently rank third among the most used plastics worldwide. Despite its widespread use, pure PVC is brittle and sensitive to heat, and manufacturers can only utilise it after stabilising its properties with other chemicals. 

However, these plasticisers are only a short-term fix for stabilising PVC. Over time, plasticisers leach from the plastics, which allows the material to deteriorate into potentially hazardous organics and microplastics.

Now, a team led by Christo Sevov, the principal investigator of the study and an associate professor in chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University, found that using electricity to permanently attach those chemical additives can prevent such unwanted reactions. 

“Instead of mixing in those chemicals, our method involves chemically bonding the plasticiser compound directly to PVC by grafting them onto the backbone of the polymer,” Sevov said in a statement.

According to the University, altering PVC molecules in this way allows for them to become more durable and resistant to chemical changes, eventually leading to materials with more robust properties.