Thermal Deformation of Blends of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) with Chlorinated Polyethylene

The results of experimental and theoretical investigation of thermal deformation (expansion or contraction) of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) blends are presented. Eight types of specimens with PVC/CPE weight ratios of 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, 10/90, and 0/100 were tested. The experimental curves of thermal deformation in the longitudinal direction of the specimens are presented. The primary attention is paid to the mathematical prediction of the effective coefficients of thermal expansion for the blends based on the composition and properties of the components. The blends are regarded as heterogeneous two-phase systems where the inversion changes of morphology occur gradually over a rather wide range of intermediate compositions. It is found that the thermal expansion coefficients of PVC/CPE blends can be predicted, with an adequate accuracy over the whole range of blend compositions, by the Levin and Budiansky equations for a two-component medium with randomly arranged component particles.