Toughness and Transparency of Poly(vinyl chloride)/Methyl Methacrylate-Butadiene-Styrene Blends with Varied Shell Phase Composition of Core-Shell Theories

Methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS) were prepared by emulsion polymerization method through grafting of styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) with varied ratio on polybutadiene (PB) particles. The effect of St/MMA weight ratio of the shell in MBS on the property of PVC/MBS blends was investigated. It was found that when St/MMA weight ratio was 0/40 and 10/30, brittle-ductile transition occurred firstly for PVC/MBS blends. Transparency of PVC/MBS blends enhanced with the increase of St content in the shell of MBS. TEM results showed that MBS composition in the shell affected disperse morphology of MBS particles in PVC matrix and the deformation behavior of PVC/MBS blends. With the increase of MMA content of the shell in MBS, the deformation mechanism of PVC/MBS blends take place transition from debonding in the interface between MBS particle and PVC matrix to the cavitation of MBS followed by shear deformation of PVC matrix.