A novel surface modification for calcium sulfate whisker used for reinforcement of poly(vinyl chloride)

• Published in: Journal of polymer research Vol. 22; no. 9; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Yuan, Wenjin, Cui, Jiayang, Cai, Yangben, Xu, Shiai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Breaking; Calcium sulfate; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chlorides; Crosslinking; Hydroxyl groups; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Mechanical properties; Original Paper; Polymer Sciences; Polyvinyl chlorides; Reinforcement; Poly(vinyl chloride) composites; Mechanical properties; Calcium sulfate whisker; Cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol); Morphology
• ISSN: 1022-9760; 1572-8935
• DOI: 10.1007/s10965-015-0813-4

A novel technique is developed in this study to modify the surface of calcium sulfate whisker (CSW) for the preparation of high-performance CSW/poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) composites. The CSW coated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and then cross-linked by glutaraldehyde is used to strengthen PVC, and the surface morphology and mechanical properties of CSW/PVC composites are investigated. It shows that the mechanical properties of the cross-linked PVA modified CSW/PVC (cPVA@CSW/PVC) composites are significantly improved, their yield strength, breaking strength, tensile modulus and elongation at break are 65.7 MPa, 53.5 MPa, 1772 MPa and 225 %, with an increase of 7.2, 13.1, 7.6 and 8.2 % as compared with that of the unmodified CSW/PVC composites, respectively. The improvement in the mechanical properties can be attributed to the strong interfacial adhesion between cPVA@CSW and PVC matrix, because the modified CSW has abundant hydroxyl groups that can produce a strong interaction with PVC. This method is simple and inexpensive, and can be applied in large scale.