PVDC
ISO 1043 PVDC · also Saran
A highly crystalline chlorinated vinyl polymer distinct from PVC, prized for exceptional barrier properties against oxygen, moisture and aroma; used mainly as a coating or thin film rather than a structural plastic.
Reference datasheet — PVDC is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the VDC-MA condition
PVDC grades and fills
PVDC is supplied in 7 conditions, soft to hard. VDC-MA is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 7 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plasticized cling/wrap film grade | Use for soft, self-clinging household and food-wrap film; lowest stiffness and lowest service temperature. | 12 | 25 | 250 | 45 Shore D |
Aqueous PVDC dispersion | Pick for water-based coating of paper, board, PET, BOPP or PVC blister film without solvent handling. | 15 | 30 | 60 | |
VDC-MADefault VDC/methyl-acrylate copolymer | Default barrier resin: choose for monolayer or coextruded high-barrier films and casings where melt processing is required. | 18 | 34 | 80 | 65 Shore D |
Heat- and light-stabilized grade | Pick when processing residence time or outdoor exposure would otherwise cause HCl release and yellowing. | 19 | 34 | 70 | 66 Shore D |
VDC/vinyl-chloride copolymer | Use where higher Tg and solvent-solubility for lacquer coating or blister-film coating are wanted. | 25 | 40 | 50 | 70 Shore D |
VDC/acrylonitrile copolymer | Choose for solvent-borne barrier lacquers on paper, cellophane and PET where good film clarity and adhesion are needed. | 28 | 40 | 30 | 72 Shore D |
PVDC homopolymer | Pick only when maximum crystallinity/barrier is needed and processing is by solution or sintering — melt processing is impractical. | 40 | 45 | 15 | 75 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PVDC is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FIBER | Monofilament / fiber grade | Supply form |
BO | Biaxially oriented / heat-shrink barrier film | Surface finish |
FOOD | Food-contact / pharmaceutical grade | Certification |
What is PVDC?
A highly crystalline chlorinated vinyl polymer distinct from PVC, prized for exceptional barrier properties against oxygen, moisture and aroma; used mainly as a coating or thin film rather than a structural plastic. PVDC has a density of 1.68 g/cm³ (0.0607 lb/in³), heavier than 94% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -15°C (5 °F). PVDC has a yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 80% and the elastic modulus is 0.5 GPa (0.0725 Msi).
What is PVDC used for?
- food packaging film
- barrier coatings on PET/PP film
- sausage casings
- moisture/oxygen barrier layers
- industrial coatings
Advantages
- Readily welded — 85/100, better than 89% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.05%, better than 84% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 1.68 g/cm³ (0.0607 lb/in³), worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), worse than 82% of polymer grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.13 W/m·K (0.0751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of polymer grades
PVDC properties
Typical room-temperature values for PVDC-VDC-MA; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
PVDC has a density of 1.68 g/cm³ (0.0607 lb/in³), heavier than 94% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -15°C (5 °F).
Mechanical15
PVDC has a yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 80% and the elastic modulus is 0.5 GPa (0.0725 Msi).
Thermal10
PVDC is rated for continuous service to 75°C (167 °F). It conducts heat at 0.13 W/m·K (0.0751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 158 µm/m·K (87.8 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
PVDC is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 18 kV/mm (457.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (88/100), better than 74% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of PVDC takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 3.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 85% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability7
PVDC's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (85/100); formability very good (75/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. PVDC is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PVDC
Is PVDC easy to machine?
Rarely machined; if solid stock exists use sharp tools, light cuts and air cooling — frictional heat quickly liberates HCl and discolors the part.
Can PVDC be welded?
Excellent heat sealing and impulse/RF sealing of films at 130–160 °C; solvent bonding possible with THF/MEK blends for lacquer grades.
Can PVDC be formed, bent or molded?
Very narrow melt window (160–185 °C) with short residence time; requires Hastelloy/nickel-alloy screws and dies, purge on shutdown, and low-shear coextrusion with tie layers.
PVDC chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| vinylidene chloride (VDC) monomer unitsmain chain; homopolymer = 100% | 80 – 96 | 90 |
| methyl acrylate / vinyl chloride / acrylcomonomer type defines commercial grade family | 4 – 20 | 10 |
| chlorine (elemental content)source of barrier and self-extinguishing behaviour | 63 – 73 | 68 |
| plasticizer (e.g. dibutyl sebacate, ATBCfilm/wrap grades only | 0 – 8 | 3 |
| heat/light stabilizer + acid scavenger +epoxidized oils, phosphites, waxes | 0.2 – 3 | 1.5 |
What surface finishes work on PVDC?
Normally used as the barrier ply of a laminate; surface can be corona-treated for printing, but avoid amine-cured inks/adhesives and prolonged UV that dehydrochlorinate the coating.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PVDC in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- 1043 PVDC
- Trade names
- Saran
How much does PVDC cost?
PVDC is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PVDC — frequently asked
What is PVDC used for?
PVDC is typically used for food packaging film, barrier coatings on PET/PP film, sausage casings, moisture/oxygen barrier layers and industrial coatings. In short: highest-barrier vinyl polymer; coating and film, not structural; very narrow melt window.
What is the yield strength of PVDC?
PVDC has a typical yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is PVDC easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades). Rarely machined; if solid stock exists use sharp tools, light cuts and air cooling — frictional heat quickly liberates HCl and discolors the part.
Can PVDC be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (85/100). Excellent heat sealing and impulse/RF sealing of films at 130–160 °C; solvent bonding possible with THF/MEK blends for lacquer grades.
What surface finishes work on PVDC?
Normally used as the barrier ply of a laminate; surface can be corona-treated for printing, but avoid amine-cured inks/adhesives and prolonged UV that dehydrochlorinate the coating.
Can PVDC be formed, bent or molded?
Very narrow melt window (160–185 °C) with short residence time; requires Hastelloy/nickel-alloy screws and dies, purge on shutdown, and low-shear coextrusion with tie layers.
What is the maximum service temperature of PVDC?
PVDC is rated for continuous use to about 75°C (167 °F), and briefly to 100°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between PVDC VDC-MA and PVDC HOMO?
VDC-MA is the default condition — default barrier resin: choose for monolayer or coextruded high-barrier films and casings where melt processing is required. HOMO: pick only when maximum crystallinity/barrier is needed and processing is by solution or sintering — melt processing is impractical. Yield strength is 18 MPa in VDC-MA versus 40 MPa in HOMO.
How much does PVDC cost?
PVDC is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ISO 1043-1 Plastics — Symbols and abbreviated terms — ISO (2011)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Polymer Handbook, 4th ed. — Wiley (1999)
- SARAN barrier resins — product and processing data — Dow / SK Functional Polymer (2020)
- IXAN / DIOFAN PVDC resins and latices technical data — Solvay / Solvin (2019)
- Krehalon PVDC barrier and shrink films — Kureha (2021)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.