Curing and Mechanical Properties of Polyvinyl Chloride Waste and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber Blends for Environmentally Friendly Polymer Applications

Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), also known as Buna-N, is widely used in the automotive industry due to its excellent oil resistance. On the other hand, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most important thermoplastics in the plastics industry, second only to polyethylene, with a global annual production capacity of more than 30 million tons. Disposal of polyvinyl chloride is commonly done via incineration. This polymer's high chlorine concentration makes complete combustion challenging. In addition, when it breaks down thermally, hazardous dioxins and furans are produced, and incorrect incineration conditions fuel public outrage. In this study, a composite of PVC (waste) and NBR was developed, with calcium carbonate added as a filler to neutralize hydrogen chloride released during degradation. The compatibility of waste PVC powder with NBR was assessed by evaluating the tensile and tear strength of the resulting samples. No significant difference was observed in tensile or tear strength across positions of the composite (one-way ANOVA, p>0.05), indicating uniform dispersion. Therefore, these data allowed for the conclusion that the integration of waste polyvinylchloride and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber has been accomplished effectively. The mean tensile strength of the blend was 3.77 MPa when the NBR to PVC ratio was 60:40, and the tensile strength remained below 5 MPa. Along with that the resulting polymer composite exhibited a modulus of 2.35 MPa, and a tear strength of 18.04 N/mm at an NBR to PVC ratio of 60:40. This combination not only demonstrates compatibility but also provides a final homogeneous dispersion with desirable physical properties. Moreover, these findings suggest that the composite material has the potential to be further enhanced and utilized as an effective raw material for product development in a variety of industries.