Morphology and properties of poly(vinyl chloride)–polyurethane blends

The objective of this research was to study the morphology and properties of PVC–polyurethane blends. Studies on blends of a segmented polyether polyurethane with PVC were carried out utilizing differential scanning calorimetry, Rheovibron, stress–strain, infrared peak position studies, and infrared dichroism experiments. This thermodynamically incompatible system was made kinetically compatible by precipitation from tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions. THF–dioxane solution casting and melt processing produced an incompatible system. The compatible polyurethane–PVC system contains a well-mixed PVC–polyether matrix phase as evidenced by T_g shifts, orientation characteristics, and infrared peak position changes. The aromatic urethane segments which exhibit microphase separation in the pure polyurethane are not solubilized by blending with PVC by any of sample preparation methods used in this study.