Affiliation: | Department of Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science and Engineering Research Institute, Inha University, Inchon 402-751, Korea Department of Textile Engineering, Inha University, Inchon 402-751, Korea Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Inha University, Inchon 402-751, Korea |
Abstract: | The miscibility behaviour of biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB-HV) blended with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy and a mechanical testing system. A blend of PHB-HV containing 8% HV (PHB-8HV) with PVC was immiscible, showing two separate Tg values in all compositions: whereas a blend of PHB-HV containing 18% HV (PHB-18HV) with PVC was miscible, showing a melting-point depression and a single Tg in the whole range of compositions. For the PHB-18HV/PVC system, the C-O-C stretching vibration at 1183 cm−1 of PHB-18HV and the CHCl deformation at 1254cm−1 of PVC were shifted, indicating that there exists a specific intermolecular interaction between the two components. In addition, as the PVC component was increased, tensile strength and Young's modulus were increased, while the inverse behaviour was observed in elongation at break. |