pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S04 - Polymer Blend and Alloys
Oral Presentation
 
 

Blends Based on Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): Exploring the Influence of Electron Beam Irradiation on Performance Properties

Dutta Joyeeta (1)*, Chatterjee Tuhin (1), Naskar Kinsuk (1)

(1) Rubber Technology Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Kharagpur-721302 - West Bengal - India

Novel blends based on Ethylene vinyl acetate/Thermoplastic Polyurethane (EVA/TPU) at different ratios were prepared via melt blending technique. EVA/TPU 80/20 blend was observed to exhibit optimum tensile strength and elongation at break. Various models have been applied to predict the change in modulus with blend composition and Veenstra B model was found the best to correlate the experimental modulus values. All the blends show a single Tg and a shift in Tg with change in blend composition was observed through Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), indicating technological compatibility. The effects of electron beam radiation (EBR) on the blends of Ethylene vinyl acetate/Thermoplastic Polyurethane (EVA/TPU) were investigated in details. The samples were irradiated by using a 2.5 MeV electron beam accelerating energy over a dose range from 25 to 200 kGy. The blends exhibit drastic improvement in mechanical properties with increasing radiation dose upto an optimum dose. Modification of the blends via EBR enhances the elastic recovery of the blends resulting significant improvement in tension set behaviour. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study was performed to explore the changes in morphology before and after irradiation. All the irradiated blends have higher electrical resistivity than the blends without irradiation and the volume resistivity increases upto 150 kGy. The samples were found to exhibit remarkable improvement in oil resistance property after irradiation which is more prominent in EVA/TPU 70/30 blends.