Chemical, thermal and mechanical evaluation of poly(vinyl chloride) plastisol with different plasticizers

Abstract

The most widely used plasticized polymer is poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) due to its excellent plasticizer compatibility characteristics. Traditionally, PVC plasticizers belong to the phthalate family; however, they have harmful effects on human health and the environment. In this work, we evaluated the effect of six types of plasticizers (dioctyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, Lestarflex (a polymeric polyester plasticizer), polycaprolactone, polyester polyol, and 1,2,3-propanetriol triacetate) on the properties of PVC plastisol used in manufacturing shoes and toys. The mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength, tear strength, and elongation at break) were evaluated before and after accelerated aging tests (in an ultraviolet oven and at 50°C). A thermal study was also carried out using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, while possible structural changes during deformation were investigated using the small-angle X-ray scattering technique. In general, the results have shown that in the plasticization and stabilization of PVC, the plasticizer dioctyl phthalate can be replaced by dioctyl adipate or Lestarflex without relevant changes in the final properties of the material, even after accelerated aging.