Effect of Blend Compositions on Mechanical Properties of Irradiated Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)/Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) Nanocomposites

Abstract

In this study, effect of blend compositions of irradiated polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) blends was carried out. In previous work, it was reported that the mechanical properties of 50/50 composition irradiated blend had performed the highest strength with addition of 6 wt% of titanium dioxide (TiO2). However, the combination of PVC/ENR in a certain ratio might results in optimal mechanical properties and other specific properties for the new blends formed. Thus, addition of 6 wt% TiO2 and varies compositional range of PVC/ENR ranging from 30, 50 and 70 wt% were prepared by melt-blending technique and the effects on the mechanical properties were investigated. The blends were exposed to 0-150 kGy of electron beam irradiation before being characterized. With addition of 6 wt% TiO2, the characterization of mechanical properties including tensile strength, impact and hardness shows increment in values for all compositions. The increments of tensile strength were fall within 6-18% and as expected 70/30 PVC/ENR blends have shown the highest value. Based on the result, it revealed tensile and impact strengths achieved the optimum value at 100 kGy, while hardness increased as the radiation dose increased. From scanning microscope electron (SEM), micrographs have illustrated the blends with addition of 6 wt% TiO2 are smooth, continuous phase and less void appearance were seen. At higher dose rate, fracture paths were found to be continuous and penetrate deep into the material and this indicates that the failure is essentially brittle and it supports the above findings.