A New Route for Plastics Toughening – the Non-Elastomer Toughening of Common Plastics and its Mechanism-Qiye WU

The experimental rules and mechanism of non-elastomer toughening of some common plastics such as rigid toughened PVC (R-PVC) or HDPE by blending and compounding with rigid organic filler (ROF), rigid inorganic filler (RIF), short fiber and core-shell rigid organic particles etc. were systematically studied. The toughening effects of filling the core-shell particles with different diameters into R-PVC matrix at normal temperature (23°C) and at low temperature (-10°C) were comparatively investigated. The essential requirements and conditions of the plastics toughening by blending with ROF or RIF were concluded. It was discovered that the ROF had the efficacy to accelerate the brittle-ductile transition of R-PVC matrix, and the processing plasticizing behavior and gelation of R-PVC matrix were improved by blending with ROF particles. Under proper conditions the R-PVC or HDPE matrix could be not only toughened but also reinforced by the new technique, and the defect of traditional toughening with elastomer, such as the tensile strength of matrix could be damaged by toughening, could be overcome. It was found also that the traditional mechanism of plastics toughening such as “craze” or “shear band” yield of matrix and the new mechanism as “cold drawing” of ROF particles may exist simultaneously in one deformation system.