Effect of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) on Molten Plasticized Cellulose Acetate (CA)
Ethylene glycol (EG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were added as plasticizers to improve the processing performance of cellulose acetate (CA). The CA with 30% plasticizers were melted by HAAKE at 200 °C. The effects of EG and PEG (degree of polymerization in 200-800) on rheological properties and mechanical properties of CA were investigated. The results show that the plasticizing time, equilibrium torque and melt viscosity of the plasticizing system increase with the increase of PEG molecular weight, while the processing performance decreased. The tensile strength of the system decrease as the PEG molecular weight increased. The plasticizing system which contents 30% PEG-200(degree of polymerization is 200) shows the maximum elongation at break. The minimum values appeared in both flexural strength and flexural modulus in the CA/PEG-200 system.