Pentaerythritol-aluminum (PE-Al) was synthesized by a solid-phase reaction in this study. The formation and characteristics of PE-Al were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). SEM images showed that the shapes of PE-Al particles were spherical and the average size was around 23 nm. The thermal properties of rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with PE-Al were tested by Congo red test, thermal aging test, conductivity test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-visible spectroscopy test. The results showed that combination of PE-Al, in comparison with commercial thermal stabilizers, presented an obvious improvement in stabilization efficiency of PVC. Moreover, addition of PE-Al could significantly prolong static stability time of PVC, reduce weight loss, and improve the initial color of PVC films. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 3704-3709, 2013