A study on fusion and rheological behaviors of PVC/SiO₂ microcomposites and nanocomposites: The effects of SiO₂ particle size

Abstract

Abstract In this study, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and silica (SiO 2 ) microcomposites and nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing in a Haake torque rheometer. The fusion and rheological behaviors of PVC/SiO 2 composites were evaluated by means of torque data recorded during processing to investigate the influence of the SiO 2 particle size on these behaviors. It was found that the fusion time and the fusion temperature decreased with the decreasing of SiO 2 particle size, whereas the fusion torque increased with the decreasing of particle size. The PVC/Si‐25‐nm nanocomposite (PVC including the 25 nm of SiO 2 ) showed the highest apparent viscosity among the PVC/SiO 2 microcomposites and nanocomposites prepared in this study. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that some aggregates, whose sizes about 60–90 nm, were formed when the 25 nm of SiO 2 was used as filler. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers