ABSTRACT
ThefirstPVCproducedcommerciallywasmanufacturedusingan emulsionpolymerisationprocess.WorkonPVCwaspioneeredin Germanyintheearly1930sandrapidprogresswasmadeinthisperiod, spurredonbytheGermanrequirementfornaturalrubbersubstitutes.Thus thesuccessfuldevelopmentofanemulsionpolymerisationprocessto produce'Buna'rubberhadasignificantinfluenceonthewayinwhichthe developmentofPVCproceededandfollowingpilotplantproductioninthe earlythirties,fullscaleproductionwasachievedin1937byI.G. Farbenindustrie. 1Workonsuspensionpolymerisationalsobeganearlyin GermanyoutsideI.G.Farbenindustrie,WackerChemiecommencing semi-technicalproductionin1935.Commercialscaleproductionby Wackerofsuspensionhomo-andco-polymerhadBegunatBurghausen beforetheoutbreakoftheSecondWorldWarandbywarendoutputhad reachedabout7ktpa.Therewasahiatusperiodthenforayearorsobut during1946WackerbroughttheirBurghausenplantbackintoproduction andproductioncontinuestheretothisday.
