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Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection  2026, Vol. 46 Issue (4): 1289-1295    DOI: 10.11902/1005.4537.2025.259
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Influence of Pyrolysis Products of Polyvinyl Chloride on Oxidation Behavior of Cu in Ethanol Combustion Atmosphere
TANG Zhijie1,2, XIE Dongbai2(), DUO Shuwang1, LAI Tian1, HONG Hao3, SHAN Guo4
1.Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Surface Engineering, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
2.University Featured Laboratory of Materials Engineering for Agricultural Machinery of Shandong Province, Weifang University of Science and Technology, Shouguang 262700, China
3.School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xinyu University, Xinyu 338004, China
4.Department of Forensic Science, Xinjiang Police College, Urumqi 830011, China
Cite this article: 

TANG Zhijie, XIE Dongbai, DUO Shuwang, LAI Tian, HONG Hao, SHAN Guo. Influence of Pyrolysis Products of Polyvinyl Chloride on Oxidation Behavior of Cu in Ethanol Combustion Atmosphere. Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection, 2026, 46(4): 1289-1295.

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Abstract  

In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the oxidation behavior of metallic materials in a fire environment, herein, the influence of pyrolysis products of polyvinyl chloride on the oxidation characteristics of Cu in an ethanol combustion atmosphere was assessed via a home-made fire atmosphere simulation device. Then the microstructure, elemental composition and phase constituents of the oxidation products were examined by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the composition of the combustion atmosphere was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). The results demonstrate that the decomposition of PVC produces HCl, which reacts with Cu to form CuCl. Owing to the enhanced volatility of CuCl with the increasing temperature, causes the oxide layer to become loose and porous which leads to accelerated oxidation of the inner Cu substrate. Moreover, the hydrogen generated via the thermal decomposition of PVC induces hydrogen embrittlement of the oxide scale and can reduce part of the CuO to Cu2O, further compromises the protective capability of the oxide scale. These observed oxidation characteristics provide a very meaningful reference for the further fire investigations.

Key words:  fire investigations      copper      polyvinyl chloride      ethanol      oxidation     
Received:  14 August 2025      32134.14.1005.4537.2025.259
ZTFLH:  TG174  
Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(52462041)
Corresponding Authors:  XIE Dongbai, Tel: 18160561996; E-mail: dbxie@aliyun.com

URL: 

https://www.jcscp.org/EN/10.11902/1005.4537.2025.259     OR     https://www.jcscp.org/EN/Y2026/V46/I4/1289

Fig.1  XRD patterns of Cu after oxidation at 300, 500 and 700 ℃ under different combustion atmospheres: (a) ethanol atmosphere, (b) ethanol-PVC atmosphere
Fig.2  XPS image of Cu after oxidation in ethanol-PVC composite combustion atmosphere at 300 ℃: (a) XPS survey, (b) Cu 2p, (c) O 1s, (d) C 1s, (e) Cl 2p
Fig.3  FTIR of powder mixtures of metallic copper and PVC in ethanol combustion atmosphere at different temperatures
Fig.4  AFM of Cu after oxidation at different atmospheres: (a) 300 ℃ ethanol combustion atmosphere, (b) 500 ℃ ethanol combustion atmosphere, (c) 300 ℃ ethanol-PVC composite combustion atmosphere, (d) 500 ℃ ethanol-PVC composite combustion atmosphere
Fig.5  SEM image of Cu coupons (a-c) and powder mixtures of Cu and PVC (d-i) after ethanol-assisted combustion at 300 ℃ (a, d-f), 500 ℃ (b, g, h) and 700 ℃ (c, i)
SampleH2 / %CH4 / %
a0.013nd
b0.3670.085
Table 1  GC detection results of the exhaust gas composition after Cu oxidation under an atmosphere of 500 ℃ ethanol (a) and ethanol-PVC (b) composite combustion
Fig.6  Schematic diagram of the oxidation process of Cu in an ethanol-PVC composite combustion atmosphere: (a) stage I, (b) stage II, (c) stage III
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