Application of factorial experimental design to demonstrate the influence of processing conditions on the fusion of poly(vinyl chloride)/chlorinated polyethylene/oxidized polyethylene blends

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)/oxidized polyethylene (OPE) blends were prepared in a Haake torque rheometer at various temperatures, rotor speeds, and totalized torques. A 2³ factorial experimental design was applied to study the main two-factor interaction, and three-factor interaction effects of temperature, rotor speed, and totalized torque on the heat of fusion of PVC/CPE/OPE blends, which were examined using differential scanning calorimetry. The sequence of the main effects on the heat of fusion of PVC/CPE/OPE blends, in ascending order, is temperature < rotor speed < totalized torque. The sequence of the two-factor interaction effects on the heat of fusion of PVC/CPE/OPE blends, in ascending order, is temperature vs rotor speed < temperature vs totalized torque < rotor speed vs totalized torque. The three-factor interaction effect is not significantly related to the heat of fusion of PVC/CPE/OPE blends. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2755–2761, 1999