Interpenetrating polymer network of poly(vinyl chloride) and polymethacrylates

✍ Scribed by Ismat A. Abu-Isa

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 849 KB
• Volume: 43
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1991.070430614

✦ Synopsis

A curable polymeric composite was prepared using equal weights of poly (vinyl chloride) ( PVC ) , reactive polyfunctional methacrylate monomers, and inorganic fillers. Peroxide initiated in situ polymerization of the polyfunctional methacrylate monomers in the PVC matrix produced an interpenetrating polymer network ( IPN) structure. The polymerization kinetics and the degree of polymerization were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) , carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13C NMR) , and solvent extraction. All measurements indicated that during polymerization, the PVC is either crosslinked by or grafted onto the methacrylate three-dimensional network structure. The rheological properties of the composite were measured before curing using a Rheometrics mechanical spectrometer and found to exhibit mainly viscous behavior and diminished elasticity. The PVC and the methacrylate monomers form a two-phase system when mixed at room temperature. However, when heated to 100°C the PVC dissolves in the monomers and forms a one-phase optically clear blend with a single glass transition temperature. In the presence of peroxide, the one-phase blend is stable and does not separate out upon cooling and storing at room temperature.