Desktop
Resin Data
FPVC

Cloruro de Polivinilo (Flexible)

FPVC·PVC·Amorphous

FPVC (Flexible PVC) is PVC with 20-50 phr (parts per hundred) of plasticizer added to transform a rigid material into one that ranges from Shore A 95 (firm, like a garden hose) to Shore A 50 (soft, like an inflatable bubble). It's the #1 material worldwide for cable and electrical conductor insulation —representing over 40% of global PVC consumption. It also dominates in medical tubing and blood bags, footwear (sandal soles, flip-flops), hoses, inflatable films, and coatings.

The big debate around FPVC is the plasticizer: classic DEHP/DOP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) is restricted under REACH (SVHC) in Europe for toys, food contact, and medical devices. The industry migrated to DOTP (di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate), DINP, and entirely alternative families like citrates, adipates, and trimellitates. Teknor Apex (Apex compounds), Sumika, and OxyVinyls lead the global market.

Processing-wise it's easier than rigid PVC: melt 170-190°C (the plasticizer lowers effective Tg), mold 30-45°C, shrinkage 0.2-0.6% for firm grades and up to 1.5-2.5% for very soft ones. The PVC HCl degradation issue persists: short residence, special screws. Are you running FPVC? Share your experience with plasticizers and shore hardness in the comments.

The ranges shown in these data tables were compiled by the MVPS team from various parameter sheets and literature, integrating the lower and upper limits for each material type.

This information must be carefully reviewed when developing injection molding processes. Final ranges and processing tolerances are the responsibility of the engineer in charge.

These ranges are not recommended for developing specific process tolerances. MVPS always recommends requesting and consulting the supplier's data sheet.

General Properties

Chemical StructureAmorphous
Specific Gravity (Density)1.29:1
L/D Ratio15 – 24
Compression Ratio1.5 – 3.1
Tonnage Factor3.09 – 4.63kN/cm²
Thermal Diffusivity0.1378mm²/s
Max Shear Rate20,0001/s
Shrinkage0.2 – 0.6%
Regrind30%
Heat Deflection (HDT) @ 1.82 MPa85°C
Glass Transition (Tg) @ 10°C/min91°C
Vicat Softening @ 50N71°C

Drying

Drying Temperature60 – 82°C
Drying Time1 – 3h
Recommended Moisture0.5%
Recommended Dryer TypeAir
Dew Point-40°C

Temperatures

Melt160 – 193°C
Nozzle141 – 182°C
Front149 – 193°C
Middle160 – 182°C
Rear129 – 177°C
Demolding38 – 71°C
Mold (Cooling)21 – 60°C
Feed Throat10 – 49°C

Processing

Back Pressure2.8 – 6.9bar
Screw Speed50 – 90RPM
Injection SpeedLow – Medium
Barrel Occupancy45 – 85%
Injection Pressure700 – 1,250Pbar
Holding Pressure175 – 1,000Pbar
Cushion5.1 – 12.7mm

Mold

Runner Diameter4.06 – 8.13mm
Gate Diameter1.02 – 2.03mm
Gate Area0.81 – 3.24mm²
Wall Thickness0.51 – 5mm

Venting

Depth (Vent Depth)0.0203 – 0.0406mm
Land (Vent Land)0.508 – 1.02mm
Width (Vent / Clearance)4.06 – 6.1mm
Relief (Relief Channel)0.3048 – 0.4064mm

Frequently asked questions

FPVC (Flexible PVC) is produced by mixing rigid PVC with **liquid plasticizers** (typically 20-50 phr — parts per hundred of resin). The plasticizer penetrates between polymer chains, breaks secondary bonds, and enables molecular movement: the material goes from rigid and brittle to flexible and elastomeric. The amount of plasticizer defines final hardness, measured in **Shore A** (50-95) for flexibles vs Shore D for rigids.
**DEHP (DOP)**: classic, efficient (30 phr → Shore A 70), cheap. **REACH SVHC restricted** — banned in EU toys (<0.1%), restricted in EU medical. **DOTP**: most-used non-phthalate alternative today, efficiency very similar to DEHP (may require 32-35 phr instead of 30), no SVHC label. **DINP**: higher-molecular-weight phthalate, restricted in toys for <3 years but allowed in other uses. **2026 trend**: for toys, medical, and food-contact, DOTP or adipates/citrates. For industrial cables, DEHP/DINP still dominate in many regions.
Melt: **170-190°C** (lower than rigid PVC's 180-210°C because plasticizer lowers effective viscosity). Mold: **30-45°C**. Medium speed. Moderate pressure. **Don't sustain above 200°C** —FPVC also releases **gaseous HCl** when degrading, like PVC. Some lower-thermal-stability plasticizers (adipates) shrink the safe window even further.
**Shore A 50-65**: very soft, inflatable films, soft toys, elastomeric bands. **Shore A 65-80**: cable insulation, hoses, urban footwear soles. **Shore A 80-95**: cable jacketing, industrial soles, flexible fittings, profiles. **Shore A 95-100+/D**: semi-rigid — gaskets, automotive profiles. Rule of thumb: more plasticizer → lower Shore, more flexibility, **higher tendency to plasticizer migration** over time.
**Plasticizer migration**: since the plasticizer isn't chemically bonded to the PVC chain, it **slowly escapes** through the surface, contact with greases/oils, heat, or solvents. Result: the material gradually loses flexibility and becomes brittle (years in outdoor cables, months in grease contact). **Mitigation**: use higher-molecular-weight plasticizers (DOTP, trimellitates > DEHP > DBP) and migration-retarder additives. TPE and TPU **don't have this problem** because their elasticity is structural.
**FPVC**: wins on **cost** (1/3 of TPU), broad chemical resistance, inherent flame retardancy (LOI ~25-30), electrically ideal for cables. Loses on: plasticizer migration, sustainability, food contact without restrictions, extreme cold. **TPE/TPV**: clean (no migration), recyclable, better at low temperature, no regulatory issues. Loses on: cost, flame retardancy. **TPU**: maximum mechanical performance (abrasion, tension), no migration. Loses on: higher cost, more demanding processing. **2026 rule**: industrial cables and hoses → FPVC. Premium sports footwear → TPU. EU toys and medical → TPE or DOTP-FPVC.
**Yes, it remains the #1 material** in medical disposables —transfusion tubing, blood bags, catheters, luer connectors. Reasons: optical clarity, gamma/EtO sterilizable, adjustable flexibility, RF-sealable, low cost. **Regulatory shift**: EU MDR limits DEHP (<0.1% in some pediatric devices), USA FDA requires DEHP-free labeling. Modern grades use DOTP, BTHC (butyryl-trihexyl citrate), or TOTM (trimellitate). Teknor Apex Apex Medical and Watson Brown HSM are references.
**0.2-0.6%** for Shore A 80+ grades, **0.6-1.5%** for Shore A 60-80, up to **2.5%** in very soft (50A). Crystalline directionality doesn't apply (PVC is amorphous). The plasticizer absorbs and releases heat slowly, requiring **longer cooling times** than similar rigid materials. Mold cooling balance is critical to avoid distortion.
The massive application is **extrusion** —copper filaments are coated with FPVC in continuous line at 300-2000 m/min. **Injection** is used for **molded-on-cable connectors** (overmolding): USB plugs, appliance plugs, international plug heads. In medical, injection is used for **luer connectors** and rigid parts that assemble with extruded tubing.
Same as CPVC: **(1) highly resistant steel screw and barrel** (Hastelloy, Inconel, or hardened chromed-duroplastic), **(2)** conservative temperature profile (no more than 195°C in front zone), **(3)** short residence (<3 min for FPVC, vs <90 s for CPVC because FPVC tolerates more), **(4) purge with HDPE or PP** when changing material or stopping production, **(5) machine ventilation** to evacuate HCl traces, and **(6) don't use acetal (POM) in the same machine** without thorough purge —residual HCl violently destabilizes POM.

Sources

Discussion (0)