vinyl plastics, group of thermoplastics used in molded products, flexible tubing, material for raincoats, and laminated safety glass. Vinyl plastics are polymers and copolymers of vinyl derivatives (i.e., derivatives of ethylene, H2C=CH2), e.g., vinyl chloride (H2C=CHCl) and vinyl acetate (H2C=CH–OOC–CH3). Polyethylene may be considered the simplest of the vinyl polymers, and polyvinyl chloride is an important member of this group. Polytetrafluoroethylene, or Teflon, is also sometimes classed as a vinyl polymer.
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