Polyvinyltoluene (PVT, polyvinyl toluene) is a synthetic polymer of alkylbenzenes with a linear formula [CH2CH(C6H4CH3)]n. Commercial vinyl toluene is a mixture of methyl styrene isomers.
A relation applicable to a wide range of values for energy loss per unit length is given by Birks' Law.
A review of radiation damage for PVT and other similar plastic scintillators can be found in Instrumentation in High Energy Physics.
[2][page needed] Such radiation breaks the C-H bonds and creates color centers[definition needed] which absorb the produced light, significantly reducing the light output.
[3] Following the increase in interest in Vinyl Records (as of 2022), PVT is being looked at as a replacement for PVC, the usual and historic material used to make Vinyl Records.