A Study of Some Changes in the Properties of Recycled PVC Plastic in Arbil Factories

Abstract

In Arbil recycling factories, the plastic materials are usually recycled for many times and this affect the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the plastic materials. For the first time in the Iraq a research on dioctylphthalate (DOP) plasticizer extracted from recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic industries in Arbil city was carried out after optimization conditions to obtain the maximum plasticizer percentage. Different physical and chemical tests were applied on the PVC samples, such as viscosity measurements, determination of Softening Points and bromine test. In addition, TLC chromatography and IR spectroscopy methods were used as identification methods. It was shown that the PVC plastic products lose many of its chemical, physical and mechanical properties after using for some months. The effect of the DOP plasticizer on the softening point of the PVC plastic samples was studied according to the seasons of the year. The outcomes of this study may be essential for future environmental studies.