Thermally stimulated current study of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(ethylene-co-methyl methacrylate) blends

• Published in: Polymer journal Vol. 25; no. 10; pp. 1015 - 1022
• Main Authors: Chen, Shian-Ing, Yang, Chao-Cheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Society of Polymer Science 01.01.1993
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; Thermal and thermodynamic properties; Thermally stimulated depolarization; Ethylene copolymer; Miscibility; Polyvinyl chloride; Experimental study; Methyl methacrylate copolymer; Molecular relaxation; Activation energy; Mixture
• ISSN: 0032-3896; 1349-0540
• DOI: 10.1295/polymj.25.1015

Blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and poly(ethylene-co-methyl methacrylate) (PEMMA) were prepared by solution blending in tetrahdrofuran (THF) and studied by thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements together with relaxation map analysis (RMA). Each of the TSC global spectra of these blends exhibited three peaks where the intermediate was found generated by space charge. The high temperature peak approx 70 deg C was attributed to the glass transition (T sub g ) of PVC-rich phase and the low temperature peak in the range of 70-40 deg C was related to the T sub g of PEMMA-rich phase. The significant shift of the low temperature peak from T sub g (= 36 deg C) of PEMMA was attributed to the interaction of beta -transition of PVC with alpha -transition of PEMMA. Maximum interaction was also found at an PEMMA content of 20 wt.%. Arrhenius lines in the RMA of the low temperature peak were found to intersect at a single compensation point. From which the critical temperature (T sub g ), the relaxation time ( tau sub c ), and the degree-of-disorder of the polymer blends were obtained.