| Abstract: | The residual stability of a PVC-compound, stabilized by a solid stabilizing agent, was measured by degradation experiments in bulk under pure nitrogen at 180°C. Several samples of different processing times were prepared by thermomechanical treatment on an extruder. Investigations of the residual stability showed an increasing tendency after the first runs, and then a decrease in stability. The same experiments were performed with a plasticized PVC-compound. Instead of an increase of the residual stability in the beginning of the thermomechanical treatment, a continuous decrease was observed. The same result was found by application of a liquid stabilizing agent to unplasticized PVC. Thus, maximum initial stability is found in the case of plasticized PVC and with liquid stabilizers in unplasticized PVC. In contrast to this result maximum initial stability of PVC, stabilized by a solid stabilizer, was obtained only after several runs on the extruder. This phenomenon can be attributed to a better homogeneity of the stabilizer and the polymer, which is effected by gelation of the PVC by the thermomechanical treatment on the extruder. If the investigation of the residual stability is measured after each run by degradation in a solution of ethylbenzoate the nonplasticized PVC-compound shows maximum stability at the beginning of the experiment. This result leads to the conclusion that the stability of a PVC-compound does not only depend either on the kind or on the amount of the applied stabilizer. To ensure the optimal efficiency of the utilized amount of stabilizer it is necessary to secure a maximum of homogeneity between stabilizer and polymer from the very beginning. Therefore it is of great importance t o the estimation of the residual stability of a PVC-compound after processing to make sure of maximum homogeneity between stabilizer and polymer. |
