Study of the Thermal and Structural Properties of PVA/HPC Blends Due to Fast Neutrons Irradiation
M. M. Abutalib
Faculty of Science, Al Faisaliah Campus, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
N. A. Abdel-Zaher *
Textile Metrology Lab., National Institute for Standards, Giza, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Blends of PVA/HPC are prepared using solution casting method and are irradiated with fast neutron irradiation of fluence 1.15 x 107 n/cm2 to use as biomaterials according to their broad importance in practical and medical applications. Thermal properties and structural configuration of the blends are studied to characterize and reveal the miscibility map of such blend system. The obtained results of the thermal analyses [differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, and thermal gravimetric analysis, TGA] show variations in the first order thermodynamic transition (Tth), the melting temperature, shape and area of thermal peaks which are attributed to the different degrees of crystallinity and the existence of interactions between PVA and HPC molecules. The X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) show broadening and sharpening of peaks at different HPC concentrations with PVA and irradiation with fast neutrons. The results obtained indicate changes in the crystallinity/amorphosity ratio, and explains the possibility of miscibility existence between the amorphous components of the two polymers PVA and HPC.
Keywords: PVA/HPC blends, differential scanning calorimeter, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, fast neutrons irradiation