Fusion, electrical conductivity, thermal, and mechanical properties of rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/carbon black (CB) composites

Rigid and conductive poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/carbon black (CB) composites were prepared in a Haake torque rheometer. The results illustrate that the fusion torque of the PVC/CB composite is increased as the amount of CB is increased. Both the fusion percolation threshold and the fusion time of PVC/CB composites are decreased when the amount of CB is increased. Two major weight loss stages are observed in the TGA curve of PVC/CB composite. The first thermal degradation onset temperature ( T onset1 ) of PVC/CB composite is decreased as the amount of CB is increased. Both the first and second weight loss stages (Δ Y 1 and Δ Y 2 ) of PVC/CB composites are decreased as the amount of CB is increased. The surface resistivity of PVC/CB composite remains almost constant up to 6 parts per hundred unit weight of resin (phr) CB. When the amount of CB in PVC/CB composite is increased from 6 to 15 phr, the surface resistivity of PVC/CB composite is dramatically decreased from 10 10 Ω/sq to 10 4 Ω/sq. Because of the addition of CB, the rigidity of PVC/CB composite is increased and thus the mechanical properties, such as yield strength, tensile strength, and the Young's modulus, are improved. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006