Epoxidized castor oil-based diglycidyl-phthalate plasticizer: Synthesis and thermal stabilizing effects on poly(vinyl chloride)

Authors: CHEN, JIE - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; Liu, Zengshe - Kevin; WANG, KUI - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; HUANG, JINRUI - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; LI, KE - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; NIE, XIAOAN - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; JIANG, JIANCHUN - Chinese Academy Of Forestry

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2018
Publication Date: 10/8/2018
Citation: Chen, J., Liu, Z., Wang, K., Huang, J., Li, K., Nie, X., Jiang, J. 2018. Epoxidized castor oil-based diglycidyl-phthalate plasticizer: Synthesis and thermal stabilizing effects on poly(vinyl chloride). Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 136(9):47142. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.47142.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/app.47142

Interpretive Summary: In this research, we developed a castor oil based plasticizer and incorporated it into poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC). PVC is one of the most important plastics which has a large range of applications, such as packaging, flooring, cables, medical devices, coatings, etc. However, these applications depend on the plasticizers in the PVC. Because commonly used petroleum based plasticizer dioctyl phthalate (DOP) is toxic and has poor thermal stability, it is necessary to replace DOP by developing benign, bio-based plasticizers with better thermal properties due to its restricted use in many countries. The obtained castor oil based plasticizer in PVC showed the films with better thermal stability, compatibility and flexibility. It benefits PVC applications, such as in children's toys, food packaging and cables.

Technical Abstract: Epoxidized castor oil-based diglycidyl-phthalate (ECODP) was synthesized and incorporated into poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) for the first time. The chemical structure of the ECODP was confirmed. The plasticizing effects of ECODP as a replacement for commercial plasticizer dioctyl phthalate (DOP) were investigated. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of PVC films before and after aging were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), TGA-FTIR analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile tests. The results indicated that PVC films plasticized with ECODP significantly improved thermal stability, compatibility, and flexibility. When DOP was substituted with ECODP completely, the initial decomposition temperature, 5, 10, 50 and 70% mass loss temperatures (Ti, T5, T10, T50, and T70) increased by 24.7, 38.9, 32.0, 30.3, and 102.7°C, respectively. The functional mechanism of the ECODP as a thermal stabilizing plasticizer and the plasticization mechanism of PVC composites were also investigated.