Thermal decomposition of polyvinyl chloride for the removal of chlorine

When heated at elevated temperatures, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) decomposes to HC1 and polyene, a process which is known as dehydrochlorination and is expressed as [CH2CHCI](n) = n (HCI) + [C2H2](n.) If the resulting polyene is free from chlorine, it can be used as a reducing agent or fuel for blast furnace ironmaking. The present study revealed that if dehydrochlorination of PVC is conducted at temperatures greater than 623 K, it is possible to eliminate chlorine from the reaction products [C2H2](n).