Investigation of Sulfur Hexafluoride Plasma effect on the surface properties of recycled post-consumer PVC

Today, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used in the automotive industry, production of flooring and building facades, water and wastewater pipes, electronic circuits, etc. Considering the non-biodegradability of polymers, PVC products are produced and accumulated as polymer waste. One of the methods for recycling polymers with minimal destruction of chemical structure is the plasma treatment. In this study, the effect of hexafluoride sulfur plasma on recycled PVC at different times and pressures is investigated. The best exposure time was obtained a 5 and 10 minute for possess a hydrophobicity surface at a pressure 0/16 torr of the plasma processing chamber, in which case the contact angle was 101 °. The electrical resistivity analysis showed that modifying the surface of PVC samples by plasma Sulfur hexafluoride at a certain pressure and time would increase the electrical resistance of their surface.