Recycling of PVC/PU waste and reuse in PVC formulations: Structure‐property relationship

Abstract The possibility of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plasticization and modification by regenerated PVC/polyurethane (PU) blends (PVC/PU R ), obtained after partial thermochemical destruction of the PU foam‐backed PVC‐sheet (soundproof materials waste), has been studied. The partial thermochemical destruction of the PU foam‐backed PVC‐sheet was carried out using alkanolamine in a one‐screw extruder. The destruction product was a thermoplastic mixture of PVC and regenerated linear PUs, applicable for reuse without any purification and fractionation. The influence of processing conditions on structure‐property relationships for the PVC/PU R blends was studied using the methods of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and mechanical testing. It has been established that PVC/PU R blends can be reused as an effective polymer plasticizer for PVC resin (PVC r ) and as a modifier for plasticized PVC (PVC p ). POLYM. ENG. SCI. 45:801–808, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers