Abstract
The influence of solidโstate chlorinated polyethylene of various chlorine content and residual crystallinity on the mechanical properties of rigid poly(vinyl chloride) has been studied. The impact strength of poly(vinyl chloride) was found to increase significantly as 10โ20 mass% chlorinated polyethylene, containing from 10.2 to 27.3% chlorine content (preferably 21.8% Cl) were added. This dependence corresponded to the higher elasticity and impact strength of the solidโstate chlorinated polyethylene with chlorine content below 30% as well as the microstructure of its chlorinated block fragments. Multicomponent system of high impact strength and good flowability, consisting of poly(vinyl chloride), chlorinated polyethylene, hydroxylโterminated polybutadiene, and ethyleneโpropyleneโethylidenenorbornene terpolymer was also obtained. Regardless of the incompatibility between the polymer components of this blend, the similarity in the chemical nature of poly(vinyl chloride) and chlorinated polyethylene blocks on one hand, and the methylene sequences in the chlorinated polyethylene and elastomers on the other, resulted in the formation of an efficient interfacial layer. The changes in the structure of the blends were established by both calorimetric and microscopic studies. ยฉ 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2602โ2613, 2006