Plasticized Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Filled with Waste Leather Particles

Abstract

Waste leather granules were incorporated into poly(vinyl chloride) polymer plasticized with di-octyl phthalate. The blend was prepared by a melt mixing process using a banbury mixer. The rheological behaviour of the mixture was recorded and the filled samples were tested for their physicomechanical properties. It was found that density, wear resistance and Shore D hardness of the specimen increases, whereas the tensile properties are considerably deteriorated with the incorporation of leather particles. A concentration of 40 parts per hundred parts of resin was estimated as the upper level of leather content, satisfying the needs of the design of final products with potential applications to the footwear industry. In order to improve mechanical properties, some treatments of the leather granules were applied, such as sieving and coating with ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer solution. Both those treatments seem to improve tensile strength. An increase up to 30% was observed when coated granules were used.