Plasticizers play a key role in the formulation of polymers and in determining their physical properties and processability. This study examines the effect of di(2-ethyl hexyl)phthalate (DEHP) as plasticizer on the thermal and mechanical properties of PVC/PMMA blends. For that purpose, blends of variable composition, from 0 to 100 wt%, were prepared in the presence (15, 30 and 50 wt %) and in the absence of di(2-ethyl hexyl)phthalate. The thermal degradation of the blends was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in an atmosphere of synthetic air in the temperature range of 50-550°C. The variation of the mechanical properties, such as tensile behavior, hardness and impact resistance, were investigated for all blend compositions. The effect of the plasticizer on the same properties was considered. The results obtained show that a range of properties can be generated according to the blend compositions. Therefore, the addition of PMMA to the blends stabilized PVC, for the initial thermal degradation, and the addition of the plasticizer caused a decrease of stress at break and Young modulus.
This article details our work in studying the plasticization of Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blends with bio-based acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) in place of conventional plasticizers such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. PMMA was blended with PVC in various ratios from 0 to 100 wt% by melt compounding with or without the plasticizer ATBC. Both the glass transition temperatures of the blends (differential scanning calorimetry) and Ta (dynamic mechanical thermal analysis) are consistent with a miscibility of the components, and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy studies show that there are specific interactions in the PVC/PMMA blends favoring the miscibility. The thermal degradation of the blends was studied by thermogravimetric analysis that shows the thermal degradation of rigid and plasticized PVC/ PMMA is a process composed of two-steps and that PMMA exercises a stabilizing effect on the thermal degradation of PVC during the first step by decreasing the rate of dehydrochlorination. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECH-NOL., 00:000-000, FIG. 6. Ta of rigid and plasticized PVC/PMMA blends. FIG. 7. FTIR spectra of rigid and plasticized PVC/PMMA blends: 1-neat PVC, 2-90/10, 3-75/25, 4-50/50, 5-25/75, 6-10/90, and 7-neat PMMA.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.