Study on the rhelogical, physico-mechanical and thermal properties of polyvinylchloride/waste-gypsum polymer composites

Abstract

The PVC/MWG polymeric composites were prepared by a melt  blending  process. The rheological study proved that by the increase of MWG contents, the appearance of fusion peaks was slower than that of the smaller MWG content used. Young’s modulus of composites was enhanced with the increase of MWG content in all composites. The highest tensile strength of composites  was  measured  at  PVC2 with the content of MWG of 22.56 wt.%. The  impact strength of composites improved with 16.26 wt.% (PVC1) of MWG loaded and then gradually decreased with increasing the MWG contents. Research on the glass transition temperatures of composites, it was clear that the significant shiftoccurred from PVC compound without MWG to the PVC1 and PVC2 composites, this indicated that the gypsum phase was finely intercalated into PVC matrix and a good interaction between two  initial phases. TGA curves also exhibited the  presence  of  MWG  contents  increased  the  thermal  stability  and  expended  the  processing temperature range of the polymeric composites. The  fine dispersion of MWG particles on SEM micrograph  of  PVC2  composite  (22.56  wt%  of  MWG  content)  proved  to  the  good  physicomechanical properties in comparison with other composites.