Vinyl chloride monomer: Characteristics
A gas at room temperature, shipped under pressure
What this tab covers The physical and chemical properties that set its grade, price and uses, with the commercial grades and the standards that define them.VCM is a gas at room temperature (boiling point minus 13 C) that is stored and shipped as a pressurised liquid. Purity, especially acetylene, iron and moisture content, controls PVC polymerisation and colour. It is stabilised with inhibitors to prevent peroxide formation.
Properties that matter commercially
| Property | Value / specification | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity | at least 99.9% VCM (indicative) | impurities slow polymerisation and discolour PVC | indicative |
| Acetylene | low ppm (indicative) | chain-transfer agent that lowers PVC molecular weight | indicative |
| Boiling point | minus 13.4 C | requires pressurised storage | standard property |
Commercial grades
- Polymerisation-grade VCM
- EDC (merchant chlorine carrier)