Viscoelastic and thermal characterization of crosslinked PVC

Soft PVC is employed for the manufacturing of a wide range of products with different properties and a relatively low cost. The utilization of soft PVC is restricted by the poor thermal, chemical and mechanical resistance properties. Also, plasticizer migration can modify the properties or can make useless the materials for some applications because of toxicity or a general loss of properties. PVC crosslinking is the most effective way to improve mechanical and transport properties of rigid or flexible PVC at high temperatures, but at the same time the thermal stability of PVC may be significantly reduced. In this work, the crosslinking reaction of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) through difunctional amines was studied. The mechanisms involved in the crosslinking reaction were explained by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The thermal activated crosslinking reaction was studied by cone and plate rheometry, analyzing the evolution of viscoelastic properties of the suspension as a function of time and temperature. The effect of the addition of crosslinking agents on the thermal stability of the polymer was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which revealed that crosslinking reactions promote thermal degradation phenomena in the polymer matrix. This is attributed to the formation of HCl and other species promoting polymer degradation during crosslinking, thus leading to higher weight loss during thermal treatment with respect to unmodified PVC plastisols. This was also confirmed by an evident yellowing after crosslinking, especially at higher temperatures.     

Influence of the wood fibre filler on the internal recycling of poly(vinyl chloride)-based composites

The recycling of internal waste of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and wood fibre-reinforced PVC composite was investigated and compared. Twenty extrusion-milling cycles were performed and the mechanical and thermal properties evaluated. This comparison provided evidence of the influence of the vegetable fibres on the thermo-mechanical degradation of the composite material. Up to five cycles, the composite properties remained stable. But after 10 cycles and especially at 20 cycles, the flexural strength increased, whereas the other mechanical properties remained almost constant. At the same time, a decrease of the degradation temperature revealed a deterioration of the molecular structure. The PVC properties remained constant, whereas a great increase in the impact strength was observed after 20 cycles without deterioration of the molecular structure. The different behaviours between the composite and the PVC were explained by the influence of the fibres, which accelerated the PVC degradation, characterized by dehydrochlorination followed by crosslinking reactions.     

Radiation‐induced migration of additives in PVC‐based biomedical disposable devices Part 2. Surface analysis by XPS

Extruded parts of non‐sterilized and β‐irradiated (25 and 50 kGy) plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) used for disposable medical devices have been studied to investigate the effect of sterilization on surface chemical composition. The polymer surfaces were analysed using angle‐resolved x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The inner surface of the blood tubing lines showed a fairly smooth surface both before and after sterilization, so a laterally homogeneous surface can be assumed for XPS analysis. The XPS survey spectra exhibited no signals besides carbon, chlorine, oxygen and calcium. Detailed analysis of the regions showed the C 1s, Cl 2p and O 1s signals to be multi‐component, presenting signals of the PVC, the plasticizer and the other additives. Binding energies remained constant irrespective of β‐radiation dosage, but the amount of chlorine component at 198.4 ± 0.1 eV (associated with modified PVC) decreased with sterilization dosage. Angle‐resolved XPS revealed that this component is located at the outermost surface of the polymer. It can be hypothesized that the production processes themselves (extrusion and/or injection molded) already induce modifications of the polymer surface and also lead to surface segregation of the plasticizer. During the subsequent thermal sterilization of the polymer dehydrochlorination continues but, because of the very short time required by the β‐irradiation technology to sterilize devices, the atmospheric oxygen is unable to diffuse into the irradiated material, thus inhibiting further side‐degradation of the materials, such as thermo‐oxidative degradation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Al(OH)3和Mg(OH)2对PVC热解特性的影响研究

利用热重分析仪并借助电导率测定法探讨了Al(OH)3和Mg(OH)2对PVC热解特性的影响,简要分析了其机理。结果表明:加入Al(OH)3和Mg(OH)2后均能增加PVC体系在第一阶段的最大热解速率和残炭量,最大热解速率增加约1倍,残炭量增加约4倍。并且分解产生的结晶水吸收大量的热量,惰性金属氧化物也有利于成核、炭层生长和凝聚,有着明显的阻燃和抑烟作用。HCl毒性气体的释放主要集中在体系的第一阶段,Al(OH)3能促使HCl提前释放,HCl的释放总量增加,Mg(OH)2也能促使HCl提前释放,但HCl的释放总量却是减少的。     

Experimental study on the thermal behaviors of lithium-ion batteries under discharge and overcharge conditions

Iron oxide modified montmorillonite (MMT) as flame retardant was used to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and the flame retardant and smoke-suppressant properties of the PVC were investigated by the smoke density rating and cone calorimeter tests (CONE), and the thermal degradation behaviors of PVC were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) in air atmosphere. The activation energies for the first stage of thermal degradation were obtained following the equation of Kissinger. The mechanical properties testing resultant data showed that iron oxide modified MMT had little effect on the tensile strength of the sample. The CONE result indicated that iron oxide modified MMT could reduce the heat release rate in flame retardant PVC: a more compact char residue formed on the surface of the sample including iron oxide modified MMT during the combustion process. The TG result showed that the sample with modified iron oxide MMT had higher thermal stability than the pure PVC. Besides, the PVC treated with modified MMT showed high activation energy.     

Characterization and thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with epoxidized soybean oil for food packaging

The use of phthalates in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) formulations has been questioned by their potential toxicity and high migration to foodstuff. Phthalates can be replaced by other harmless and environmentally friendly plasticizers, such as epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO), which has been also proved an efficient stabilizer for PVC helping to prevent degradation during processing. Formulations based on PVC with different amounts of ESBO (from 30 to 50 wt%) were fully characterized showing good compatibility and a clear increase in thermal stability. An evaluation of the use of ESBO for PVC stabilization in commercial lids was carried out by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). ESBO was detected in all materials and their thermal stability was highly dependent on the plasticizer concentration. Most of them showed a significant increase in thermal degradation temperatures, permitting their use in food processing at high temperatures without risk of degradation.     

Morphology, thermal stability and visco-elastic properties of polystyrene-poly(vinyl chloride) blends

The morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of polystyrene (PS) blends with 2.5-20 wt% of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) have been studied. The measurement of the glass transition temperature (T_g) from the maxima of tan δ data using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis showed that the blends were incompatible and homogenously distributed only within a limited range of PVC contents in PS. The value of the storage modulus was found to increase initially but then decreased with further addition of PVC in the matrix. Distribution of the phases in the virgin and degraded blends was also studied through scanning electron microscopy. The thermogravimetric studies on these blends were carried out under inert atmosphere from ambient to 800 °C at different heating rates varying from 2.5 to 20 °C/min. The thermal decomposition temperatures of blends were found higher than that of pure PS which indicated the stabilizing effects of PVC on PS. The effect varies with the heating rates and the composition of the blends and the phenomenon has been explained due to changing morphology of the blends with composition and the degradation time which affect the interfacial interaction between the degrading products from the polymer components. The kinetic parameters of the degradation process calculated from a method described by Ozawa have been reported for these blends.     

Gamma Irradiation Effects on Mechanical and Thermal Properties and Biodegradation of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Based Films

Summary: Their biodegradable properties make polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) ideal candidates for innovative applications. Many studies have been primarily oriented to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-valerate) (PHBV) and afterwards to blends of PHAs with synthetic biodegradable polymers, such as poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). Medical and pharmaceutical devices require sterilization and γ irradiation could provide a proper alternative since it assures storage stability and microbiological safety. This contribution presents the effect of γ irradiation on the mechanical and thermal properties and on the biodegradation of PHB, PHBV and a commercial PHB/PCL blend. Samples, prepared by compression moulding, were irradiated in air at a constant dose rate of 10 kGy/h, from 10 to 179 kGy. Polymer chain scission was assessed by changes in the molecular weight, thermal properties and tensile behaviour. The correlation between absorbed dose and changes in the mechanical properties and biodegradation is discussed in detail. The optimum dose to guarantee microbiological sterilization without damage of the structure or meaningful loss of the mechanical properties is also reported.     

Miscibility studies of PVC/Aramid blends

Blends containing PVC and aramid (Ar) matrices were probed for their miscibility. In this respect, Ar chains were synthesized by aromatic diamine and diacid chloride in amide solvent. The Ar thus synthesized was characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and molecular weight determination. Blend system Ar/PVC was investigated over a range of Ar/PVC ratios. Their mechanical profiles in terms of maximum stress, maximum strain, toughness, and initial moduli have been explored. Thermal properties and morphology of the blends were estimated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A good correlation was observed between thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the blends. The presence of hydrogen bonding among polymers was evaluated through FTIR spectroscopy, which is believed to be responsible for the blend miscibility. Optimal thermal and mechanical profiles were depicted by the blend containing 40-wt% PVC in the Ar matrix.     

Non-Covalent Interactions between Polyvinyl Chloride and Conjugated Polymers Enable Excellent Mechanical Properties and High Stability in Organic Solar Cells

The incorporation of insulating polymers into conjugated polymers has been widely explored as a strategy to improve mechanical properties of flexible organic electronics. However, phase separation due to the immiscibility of these polymers has limited their effectiveness. In this study, we report the discovery of multiple non-covalent interactions that enhances the miscibility between insulating and conjugated polymers, resulting in improved mechanical properties. Specifically, we have added polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into the conjugated polymer PM6 and observed a significant increase in solution viscosity, indicative of favorable miscibility between these two polymers. This phenomenon has been rarely observed in other insulating/conjugated polymer composites. Thin films of PM6/PVC exhibit a much-improved crack-onset strain of 19.35 %, compared to 10.12 % for pristine PM6 films. Analysis reveal that a “cyclohexyl-like” structure formed through dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding between PVC and PM6 acted as a cross-linking site in the thin films, leading to improved mechanical properties. Moreover, PM6/PVC blend films have demonstrated excellent thermal and bending stability when applied as an electron donor in organic solar cells. These findings provide new insights into non-covalent interactions that can be utilized to enhance the properties of conjugated polymers and may have potential applications in flexible organic electronics.     

Thermal degradation of silane crosslinked unplasticized PVC

The thermal decomposition behaviour of rigid PVC, crosslinked using bis(γ-trimethoxysilylpropyl)amine as crosslinking agent has been studied. Different thermal stabilizers (tin and lead based) have been used with different crosslinking agent concentrations, and the influence of these factors on the decomposition behaviour in inert atmosphere studied. Results obtained have shown that the main effect of aminosilane is an advance of the first stage of the PVC degradation (i.e. the dehydrochlorination process). Moreover, samples with different concentrations of silane, and at different stages of their processing (i.e. after milling, pressing, crosslinking) have also been used in order to elucidate the influence of these factors on their thermal behaviour. A quantitative kinetic model has been developed and the corresponding kinetic constants have been obtained by modelling the experimental thermogravimetric data. The kinetic parameters obtained have revealed a reduction in the apparent activation energy of the hydrogen chloride loss process, which has shown to be markedly dependent on the thermal stabilizer used.     

Radiation-induced degradation of hydroxyapatite/poly L-lactide composite biomaterial

The effects of gamma irradiation on the structure and properties of hydroxyapatite/poly L-lactide (HAp/PLLA) biomaterial have been investigated. Effects of radiation on microstructure, degradation of polymer part and thermal stability of composite were determined by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Mechanical properties were obtained through mechanical strength and elasticity modulus. Presented results show that properties of HAp/PLLA decay with irradiation dose, but for doses required for sterilization, changes and damaging effects are acceptable.     

Graft Copolymers with a Backbone of Polyvinyl Chloride): Synthesis,Properties, and Applications

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) has occupied the most important position among the general purpose plastics, but its industrial applications are limited due to its inferior thermal stability and mechanical properties. It has been observed that the removal of tertiary or allylic chlorine atoms or some other abnormal and unstable structures from polymeric chains, by graft copolymerization with vinyl monomers, improves the thermal stability and mechanical properties (such as softening temperature, rigidity, anticreep properties, impact strength, and tensile strength) of PVC to a large extent.     

Preparation and degradation of head-to-head PVC

The course of the chlorination reaction of cis-1,4-polybutadiene is dependent on the choice of solvent. When methylene chloride is used, a pure addition reaction of chlorine leads to a polymer with the structure of head-to-head, tail-to-tail PVC. The thermal stability of the head-to-head PVC polymer has been studied by thermal volatilization analysis, thermogravimetry, and evolved gas analysis for hydrogen chloride, and the changes in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of the polymer during degradation have been investigated. The head-to-head polymer has a lower threshold temperature of degradation than normal PVC, but reaches its maximum rate of degradation at a higher temperature for powder samples of the polymer under programmed heating conditions. Blends of head-to-head PVC with poly(methyl methacrylate) have also been degraded, and the presence of the head-to-head polymers, like that of normal PVC, results in depolymerization of the PMMA as soon as the dehydrochlorination reaction commences. The mechanism of degradation of head-to-head PVC is discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of thermoplastic elastomer of poly(vinyl chloride) and chlorinated waste rubber

In order to develop applications for the abundant waste rubber powder, chlorinated waste rubber (Cl-WR) was prepared by a water based chlorination method using chlorine as chlorinating agent. In this paper, Cl-WR was used as an elastic filler and blended with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix to develop a new thermoplastic elastomer PVC/Cl-WR. The mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, swelling resistance, morphology and thermal properties of PVC/Cl-WR were characterized and compared with those of PVC/waste rubber powder (PVC/WR) blends. The results indicated that the mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, swelling resistance and thermal properties of the PVC/Cl-WR blends showed noticeable improvements over PVC/WR blends due to the improved polarity of Cl-WR. Also, the excellent miscibility and compatibility of Cl-WR with PVC was demonstrated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the resulting blends.     

Degradation and stabilisation of blue water pipe

Degradation caused by natural and artificial exposure of blue polyethylene water pipe compounds has been studied using thermal, spectroscopic and mechanical testing techniques. The results indicate that whilst thermal properties can be used as an effective quality control tool, deterioration of mechanical properties corresponds rather more with carbonyl index measurements. Samples in thin and thick sections have been studied and differences in behaviour are noted, with thick section samples retaining mechanical (impact) properties even after substantial degradation has occurred.

Limitations in the use of artificial exposure to monitor changes that occur during natural weathering are discussed. It is concluded that, in thick section, the surface nature of ultraviolet degradation in the extreme conditions of artificial exposure affects mechanical properties in a different manner than longer-term periods of natural exposure.     

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(ethylene oxide) blends: Thermogravimetric analysis

Thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PVC/PEO) blends has been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in dynamic and isothermal heating regime. PVC/PEO blends were prepared by hot-melt extrusion (HME). According to TG analysis, PEO decomposes in one stage, while PVC and PVC/PEO blends in two degradation stages. In order to evaluate the effect of PEO content on the thermal stability of PVC/PEO blends, different criteria were used. It was found that thermal stability of PVC/PEO blends depends on the blend composition. The interactions of blends components with their degradation products were confirmed. By using multiple heating rate kinetics the activation energies of the PVC/PEO blends thermal degradation were calculated by isoconversional integral Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and differential Friedman method. According to dependence of activation energy on degree of conversion the complexity of degradation processes was determined.     

Chemical Modification of PVC

Despite the fact that polyvinyl chloride) (PVC) has occupied the most important position among general-purpose plastics, its industrial applications are limited due to its inferior thermal stability and mechanical properties. Many studies have been conducted to remedy these disadvantages. This paper reviews these studies from the viewpoint of chemical modification of PVC.     

Thermal degradation studies in poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

The miscibility, morphology, and thermal properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) blends with different concentrations of poly(methyl methacylate) (PMMA) have been studied. The interaction between the phases was studied by FTIR and by measuring the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the blends using differential scanning calorimetry. Distribution of the phases at different compositions was studied through scanning electron microscopy. The FTIR and SEM results show little interaction and gross phase separation. The thermogravimetric studies on these blends were carried out under inert atmosphere from ambient to 800 °C at different heating rates varying from 2.5 to 20 °C/min. The thermal decomposition temperatures of the first and second stage of degradation in PVC in the presence of PMMA were higher than the pure. The stabilization effect on PVC was found most significant with 10 wt% PMMA content in the PVC matrix. These results agree with the isothermal degradation studies using dehydrochlorination and UV-vis spectroscopic results carried out on these blends. Using multiple heating rate kinetics the activation energies of the degradation process in PVC and its blends have been reported.     

聚氯乙烯树脂的不饱和度和热稳定性的关系

用紫外 可见光谱法表征了不同来源的聚氯乙烯树脂（ＰＶＣ）的热稳定性，用一氯化碘加成法测量了ＰＶＣ的总的双键含量，用红外光谱法测量了ＰＶＣ的孤立双键和共轭双键的相对含量．结果表明，ＰＶＣ在加工期间的初期着色行为和长期热稳定性并不直接相关，前者取决于ＰＶＣ分子链中共轭双键的含量，而后者则和孤立双键的含量有关