An investigation of mechanical and rheological properties of NBR/PVC blends: Influence of anhydride additives, mixing procedure and NBR form

Compatibilizer is used for improvement of interfacial interaction, mechanical properties and processability of polymer blends. In this study, the effect of phthalic anhydride (PAH), succinic anhydride (SAH) and maleic anhydride (MAH) in vulcanizable compositions of the melt mixed acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/poly(vinyl chloride) (NBR/PVC) in different proportions were investigated. PAH, SAH and MAH were used to improve compatibility of NBR/PVC blends. These additives increased the interfacial interaction between NBR and PVC phases confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of fracture surfaces. The results were compared to those for control type (no compatibilizer added) NBR/PVC formulation. The developed compositions were studied by rheometric and mechanical properties. Also, in this work, we investigate the effects of mixing procedure (Brabender Plasticorder and Haake rheometer) and NBR form (powder and bale) on the final properties of NBR/PVC blends. It is argued that NBR/PVC blends with NBR powder prepared in the Haake rheometer have higher stabilization torque and tensile properties than NBR/PVC blends with NBR bale and have lower properties than the blends which were prepared in Brabender Plasticorder with NBR powder. It is observed that the increasing effect of NBR powder in mechanical properties is owing to fine particle size and high surface area that are well interacted with PVC.