Effect of Plasticiser on the Mechanical Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol Polymer Membranes

Go, Cheng Yang (2026) Effect of Plasticiser on the Mechanical Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol Polymer Membranes. Final Year Project (Diploma), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study examines the effect of plasticizer content (PC) on polymer membrane properties. Membranes were prepared with 0%, 1%, 2%, 10%, and 20% PC and evaluated using tensile strength, FTIR analysis, and dissolve time in sodium sulfate solution. The membrane without plasticizer shows the highest tensile strength but is rigid. Adding a small amount of PC reduces strength while improving flexibility. At 2% PC, the membrane shows the best balance between strength and flexibility. However, higher PC content (10% and 20%) significantly weakens the membrane. FTIR results show that the main chemical structure remains unchanged, with slight variations indicating changes in internal interactions. Dissolve time analysis shows that membranes with lower PC content are more stable. The 2% PC membrane has the longest dissolve time, while higher PC content leads to faster dissolution. Overall, a small amount of plasticizer improves membrane performance, but excessive amounts reduce strength and stability. The optimal PC content is around 2%