Halogen-containing vinyl polymer compositions

1. A flexible polyvinyl chloride film comprising:

a. chloride-containing vinyl polymer;

b. plasticizer in an amount in the range of 30 to 100 parts-per-hundred parts resin;

c. a stabilizer component comprising a stabilizer and a diluent, wherein the diluent comprises a monohyciric alcohol having 12 or more carbon atoms that is present in an amount in the range of 10–50% by weight of the stabilizer component, and wherein the stabilizer and diluent are each selected such that, when the stabilizer component is combined with the chloride-containing vinyl polymer to form a flint, the film has a 96-hour Volatile Organic Compound Emission Factor of no more than 1,000 μg/m 2 /hour and

d. a backing attached to the film.

2. The film according to claim 1 wherein the film has a 96-hour Volatile Organic Compound Emission Factor of no more than 500 μg/m 2 /hour.

3. The film according to claim 1 wherein the stabilizer is an organophosphite.

4. The film according to claim 1 further comprising one or more primary stabilizers.

5. The film according to claim 4 wherein the one or more primary stabilizers is selected from the group consisting of metal carboxylates, metal stearates, and combinations thereof.

6. A method of stabilizing a flexible chloride-containing vinyl polymer film comprising steps of:

a. providing a chloride-containing vinyl polymer including plasticizer, the plasticizer being present in an amount in the range of 30 to 100 parts-per-hundred parts resin, and

b. incorporating into the chloride-containing vinyl polymer a stabilizer component in an amount effective to stabilize the chloride-containing vinyl polymer, wherein the stabilizer component comprises a stabilizer and a diluent, wherein the diluent comprises a monohydric alcohol having 12 or more carbon atoms, and wherein the stabilizer and diluent are each selected such that, when the stabilizer component is combined with a vinyl chloride polymer to form a film, the vinyl chloride polymer film exhibits a 96-hour Volatile Organic Compound Emission Factor of 1,000 μg/m 2 /hour or less;

c. forming the chloride-containing vinyl polymer with stabilizer component into a flexible film; and

d. attaching a backing to the film.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the stabilizer component has a free phenol content of 3% by weight or less.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the stabilizer component has a fluid viscosity of 1,500 to 50,000 centipoise.

9. The film according to claim 1 wherein the film is a wallcovering or a decorative laminate, and wherein the backing is selected from woven fabric, knit fabric, non-woven fabric, or paper.

10. The film according to claim 1 wherein the film is printed, and the film has a surface tension up to 50 dynes/cm.

11. The film according to claim 1 wherein the film has a reduced contact angle relative to a polyvinyl chloride film that lacks the stabilizer component.

12. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of attaching a backing to the film comprises attaching a backing selected from woven fabric, knit fabric, non-woven fabric, or paper to form a wallcovering or a decorative laminate.

13. The method according to claim 6 further comprising a step of printing the film, the film having a surface tension up to 50 dynes/cm.

14. The film according to claim 1 wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of butyl octyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, hexyl decyl phthalate, dihexyl phthalate, diisooctyl phthalate, dicapryl phthalate, di-n-hexyl azelate, diisononyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, dioxtyl sebacate, trioctyl trimellitate, triisooctyl trimellitate, triisononyl trimellitate, isodecyl diphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, cresyl diphenyl phosphate, polymeric plasticizers, epoxidized soybean oil, octyl epoxy tallate, isooctyl epoxy tallate, and combinations of any one or more of these.

15. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of providing a vinyl chloride polymer including plasticizer comprises providing vinyl chloride polymer including plasticizer selected from the group consisting of butyl octyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, hexyl decyl phthalate, dihexyl phthalate, diisooctyl phthalate, dicapryl phthalate, di-n-hexyl azelate, diisononyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, dioxtyl sebacate, trioctyl trimellitate, triisooctyl trimellitate, triisononyl trimellitate, isodecyl diphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, cresyl diphenyl phosphate, polymeric plasticizers, epoxidized soybean oil, octyl epoxy tallate, isooctyl epoxy tallate, and combinations of any one or more of these.