Improving the mechanical and electrostatic properties of polymer composites for personal protective equipment by incorporating graphite into a poly(vinyl chloride) polymer matrix.

The objective of the study was to examine the mechanical and electrostatic properties of poly(vinyl chloride) intended for use in protective footwear. The poly(vinyl chloride) material was made with graphite (flake side dimensions 5 and 10 µm) additive in weight concentration variants from 0.5 to 10.0%. The influence of incorporating graphite in the polymer matrix was evaluated by testing mechanical parameters and electrostatic parameters (according to Standard No. EN ISO 20344:2021). In addition, the surface morphology, analysis of thermal properties and stability were evaluated. The results indicated the highest increase in tear resistance for the variant containing 1.5- 2.0% graphite. In terms of electrostatic parameters, the addition of graphite caused an increase in electrical resistance. Based on the obtained preliminary test results, it can be concluded that the use of graphite additive can increase the mechanical properties and find application in the production of protective footwear components.