| Abstract: | Dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride)-g-polystyrene (DHPVC-g-PSt) prepared by free radical grafting was characterized, and some of its physical properties were evaluated. The presence of graft was established by the appearance of new absorption peaks in the IR spectra of the graft copolymer. GPC analysis showed increase in the average molecular weights of the graft copolymer upon increase in the PSt content. Besides, GPC revealed the uniform PSt distribution of DHPVC-g-PSt. A marked improvement in the thermal stability of DHPVC-g-PSt over that of DHPVC and DHPVC/PSt blends was observed. Graft copolymers with high percent grafting were thermally more stable than even the original PVC. Stress–strain data indicated decrease in yield stress, breaking stress and elongation, along with an increase in the initial modulus, upon increase in PSt content of the graft copolymer. |
