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
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A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE AHMADU 3ELL0 UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE
Keywords
DEGRADATION, POLYMER, BLENDS
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