Viscoelastic Properties, Morphology, and Thermal Stability of Rigid and Plasticized Poly(vinyl chloride)/Poly(methyl methacrylate) Blends

International audienceViscoelastic properties, morphology, and thermal stability of rigid and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)/poly (methyl methacrylate) (PVC/PMMA) blends were studied. For that purpose, blends of variable composition from 0 to 100 wt% were prepared in the presence (15, 30, and 50 wt%) and in the absence of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate as plasticizer. Their miscibility was investigated by using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The DMTA and SEM results showed that the two polymers are miscible. Thermogravimetric studies on these blends were carried out in a flowing atmosphere of air from ambient temperature to 550 degrees C. The results showed that the thermal degradation of rigid and plasticized PVC/PMMA in this broad range of temperature is a three-step process and that PMMA exerted a stabilizing effect on the thermal degradation of PVC during the first step by reducing the rate of dehydrochlorination