Polyurethane vs. PVC

[rainwearseeker]

What are the differences between these two materials? I have seen shiny raincoats listed as polyurethane and not PVC.

[spitfire617]

Polyurethane is made differently too PVC.
PVC is usually a thinner material too Polyureathane.
In appearence Polyureathane on the outside feels a little like a rubber material

Other more experienced people can tell you more about the difference

[Lordgrey]

PU and PVC have different components in them. But with plastic, this isn't the only thing that gives them the properities they finaly show. Lenght of the chains, crosslinking of the chains and the additives influence the end result massively. If you're interested, look it up at Wikipedia. In Rainwear I found that usually PU has a matt, rubbery surface while PVC can be glossy to matt and rubbery to inflexible. I'm a little bit suspect of PVC as PVC always need plasticizer to be flexible enough for rainwear and PVC reacts with the skin grease. I also found PU Rainwear that is glossy, but that was only in the fetish scene.

[rainwearseeker]

I have seen shiny PU raincoats. I wanted to know if had that same smooth texture. PVC can have different grades where it is stiff and firm, but flexible, to soft and rubbery while very noisy. also what do you mean PVC reacts with skin oil? does the material degrade like latex if left untreated?

[Lordgrey]

Well, I'm not the expert, but dependent on the used plasticizer, PVC gets hard and brittle if it gets prolonged contact to the skin together with the body heat.

[WealdenMac]

Which might also explain why the PVC sheet waterproof pants we wore as children used to deteriorate so quickly from soft and smooth when new to hard and brittle after frequent washing and hanging out to dry.

[spitfire617]

Which might also explain why the PVC sheet waterproof pants we wore as children used to deteriorate so quickly from soft and smooth when new to hard and brittle after frequent washing and hanging out to dry.

Really?
I cannot remember that far back lol lol!

[marcus_germany]

Yes, this is a problem. especiaslly very thin pvc films often degrade very fast when it gets contact to oil. the plasticiesers migrate to the oil. Sometimes also the oil migrates paticially into the material. Some types of pvc are more resistant to oil. But heat always kills pvc sooner or later.Temperatures over 60°C are deadly sooner or later, but even lower temperatures speed up the migration of the plasticisers often.

[WealdenMac]

Which might also explain why the PVC sheet waterproof pants we wore as children used to deteriorate so quickly from soft and smooth when new to hard and brittle after frequent washing and hanging out to dry.

Really?
I cannot remember that far back lol lol!

Lucky you! But then they always say little boys take longer to "train" than little girls.

[Lordgrey]

Which might also explain why the PVC sheet waterproof pants we wore as children used to deteriorate so quickly from soft and smooth when new to hard and brittle after frequent washing and hanging out to dry.

Really?
I cannot remember that far back lol lol!

And you can get the plastic pants also for adults too. The problem stays the same, they degrade very fast. Usually on the openings for Legs and Waist. And that's very uncomfortable and unhygienic. For that reason, quality pants are made from Vinyl or PU. Last a lot longer. Even the natural rubber ones last longer than PVC.