DEGRADATION OF POLYMER BLENDS
DEGRADATION OF POLYMER BLENDS
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Date
1980-03
Authors
AGBOOLA, MODUPE OREYEMI
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Abstract
Polymers are seldom used in the pure state, various
additives may be present of which one category includes a
second polymer. In the present study, the author reports the
effects on degradation properties of a polymer in the presence
of a second polymer in its environment. The effect of
degradation of polystyrene (PS) and pbly (vinyl chloride) (WC)
in the presence of various second polymers has been studied.
Polymers are heterogeneous systems and in many cases the observed
degradation effects reflect the two phase character. It has
been found in the present study that interaction processes
result in some cases in destabilisation of the system while in
other cases the thermal and weathering stabilities are improved
in the blend. The method of study involves the use of infrared
spectrophotometecto follow chemical changes in the microstructure
when films were exposed outdoor and when heated in
an air oven at 100 oC The changes in the mechanical properties
were followed by measurement of tensile strength using an instron
machine. Cast films have been used for the studies.
In the system containing PS/ABS blend it was found that PS
has a stabilising effect on ABS when exposed outdoors, the
converse is true when the blend was heated in air oven at lOO oC
It was also found that the weatherability of PVC and PB
were considerably improved in the presence of PS. The presence
of PS in PS/PB blend imparts rigidity to the blend. Similarly
from a measurement of carbonyl index it was found that PVC has a
stabilising effect on PB. In all cases the l:l blend gave
the best compromise of good mechanical properties, heat
stability and outdoor weathering
Description
A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE AHMADU 3ELL0 UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Keywords
DEGRADATION, POLYMER, BLENDS