Polyvinylidene chloride
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Polyvinylidene chloride is a polymer derived from vinylidene chloride.
Ralph Wiley, a Dow Chemical lab worker, accidentally discovered polyvinylidene chloride in 1933. While cleaning laboratory glassware, Wiley came across a vial he could not scrub clean. Dow researchers made this material into a greasy, dark green film, first called "Eonite" and then Saran.
The military sprayed Saran on fighter planes to guard against salty sea spray and carmakers used it for upholstery. Dow later got rid of the Saran's green color and unpleasant odor.
The most popularly known use of polyvinylidene chloride came in 1953, when Saran Wrap, a plastic food wrap was introduced. In 2004, however, the formula was changed to Low density polyethylene out of environmental concerns about the chloride.
In packaging, polyvinylidene chloride is also applied as a water-based coating to other plastic films such as biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and polyester (PET). This coating increases the barrier properties of the film, reducing the permeability of the film to oxygen and flavours and thus extending the shelf life of the food inside the package.
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| Polyethylene (PE) | Polypropylene (PP) | Polystyrene (PS) |
| Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) | Polyamide (PA) | Polyester |
| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | Polycarbonate (PC) | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) |
| Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) | Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) |
| Polylactic acid (PLA) | ||
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