Chloe Zhang
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents added to polymers to enhance properties such as flexibility, durability, and longevity. They are used to tailor the properties of polymers to meet specific application requirements. For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the third most widely used plastic and is made suitable for products like vinyl siding and plumbing through the addition of plasticizers. Plasticizers can be used alone or in combination to achieve the desired properties, and their use can be essential to industries worldwide. However, there are concerns over the safety of some polymer plasticizers, particularly those classified as potential endocrine disruptors. This has led to the development and use of alternative plasticizers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Flexibility | Increased |
| Pliability | Increased |
| Durability | Increased |
| Longevity | Increased |
| Biodegradability | Increased/Controlled |
| Extensibility | Increased |
| Viscosity | Enhanced |
| Processability | Enhanced |
| Tensile strength | Decreased |
| Glass transition temperature | Decreased |
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What You'll Learn
Plasticizers can be used to control polymer degradation
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents used throughout the plastics industry to increase the flexibility, pliability, durability, longevity, biodegradability, and extensibility of polymers. They are commonly added to polymers and plastics such as PVC, either to facilitate the handling of the raw material during fabrication or to meet the demands of the end product's application.
One of the most important properties of polymers is the glass transition temperature (Tg), which measures chain mobility. This is the temperature at which a polymer transforms from a hard, glassy material to a soft, rubbery material. Plasticizers lower the glass transition temperature of the polymers. The molecules of plasticizers take control of the mobility of the polymer chain. Plasticizers can be used in combination or singularly to achieve the desired properties of the material.
By changing the type, kind, amount, or concentration of plasticizer, the properties can be tailored to meet any application requirements of the material. For example, plasticizers can be used to control polymer degradation, and depending on the additive, can either increase or decrease the biodegradable rate. In effect, the plasticizer creates a disposable biodegradable biopolymer.
The degradation of plasticizers can also lead to poorer mechanical properties and the contamination of the surrounding environment. Degraded DEHP evaporated faster than undegraded DEHP because of the higher volatility of the degradation products, which have a lower molar mass than the undegraded compound.
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Plasticizers increase flexibility, pliability and durability
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents added to polymers and plastics to enhance their flexibility, pliability, and durability. They are particularly important in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the third most widely used plastic, making up around 90% of all plasticizers. PVC is a highly durable material due to the addition of plasticizers, lasting up to 50 years without damage.
The flexibility of polymers is increased by plasticizers due to their ability to lower the glass transition temperature (Tg). Tg is the temperature at which a polymer transitions from a hard, glassy material to a soft, rubbery state. By reducing Tg, plasticizers make the polymer more pliable and flexible. This is especially useful in applications such as film coating.
The desired properties of the material can be achieved by altering the type, amount, or concentration of plasticizer used. For example, in PVC, at least 15 phr (parts per hundred resin) of plasticizer is required to make it flexible. Below this amount, the PVC experiences antiplasticization, becoming stiffer.
Plasticizers are also used to improve the processability of polymers, making them more workable for specific applications. For instance, they are added to concrete formulations to increase fluidity for pouring, and to clays, stucco, and solid rocket fuel before molding and forming.
The selection of plasticizers is based on various criteria, including low toxicity, compatibility with the host material, non-volatility, and cost. Common plasticizers include phthalate esters, sebacates, adipates, terephthalates, and dibenzoates. However, due to health and environmental concerns, there has been a shift towards non-classified plasticizers, especially in Europe.
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Plasticizers can be used alone or in combination
The selection of a plasticizer depends on the desired properties, processing needs, and cost. Different plasticizers or varying amounts of the same plasticizer can significantly impact the material's characteristics. For example, the film-forming polymer (hydroxypropyl) methylcellulose plasticized with poly(ethylene glycol) 200 exhibits relative rigidity and logarithmic decrement against temperature.
When used in combination, plasticizers can be blended to enhance their properties. For instance, blends of citrate plasticizers, dibenzoate plasticizers, and lower molecular weight aliphatic diesters are becoming popular in the toy market due to processing problems with traditional GP plasticizers. Additionally, faster-fusing plasticizers, such as monobenzoates, dibenzoates, or BBP, are often blended with other plasticizers to improve their fusion temperatures.
The molar mass, physical size, and solubility parameters of the plasticizer also play a crucial role in determining the final properties of the flexible compound. For example, in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a minimum of 15 phr plasticizer is required to achieve flexibility. Less than this amount leads to antiplasticization, increasing stiffness.
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Plasticizers can increase or decrease biodegradability
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents used in the plastics industry to increase or decrease several properties in polymers, including flexibility, pliability, durability, longevity, biodegradability, and extensibility. They are added to a plastic or elastomer to affect the properties of the material without changing its basic chemical makeup.
Plasticizers can be used in combination or singularly to achieve the desired properties of the material. By changing the kinds, amount, or concentration of plasticizer, the properties can be tailored to meet any application requirements of the material. For example, plasticizers can be used to control polymer degradation, and depending on the additive, can either increase or decrease the biodegradable rate.
The use of natural and/or biodegradable plasticizers, with low toxicity and good compatibility with several plastics, resins, rubber, and elastomers, has attracted the market along with the increasing worldwide trend towards using biopolymers. Biodegradable additives and plasticizers have become the focus of material scientists. For instance, vegetable oil-based plasticizers are highly biodegradable and renewable.
On the other hand, plasticizers can also decrease biodegradability in some cases. For example, the final properties of starch-based bioplastic are highly dependent on the ambient humidity. Water is not recommended as a direct plasticizer due to the high volatility of water molecules, which often produces a brittle film.
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Plasticizers can migrate from the polymer matrix
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents that are added to polymers to increase certain properties, such as flexibility, pliability, durability, longevity, biodegradability, and extensibility. They are commonly added to polymers and plastics such as PVC, to facilitate the handling of the raw material during fabrication, or to meet the demands of the end product's application.
Plasticizers can be used in combination or singularly to achieve the desired properties of the material. By changing the kinds, amount, or concentration of plasticizer, the properties can be tailored to meet any application requirements of the material. For example, plasticizers can be used to control polymer degradation, and depending on the additive, can either increase or decrease the biodegradable rate.
There are several ways to prevent plasticizer migration. Manufacturers can use reactive plasticizers that chemically graft into the polymer matrix, making it difficult for the plasticizer to migrate out of the material. Alternatively, a coating can be applied to the surface to prevent the plasticizer from passing through. Specialist plasticizers with a high molecular weight or a high degree of branching can also be used, as their larger size and entanglement in the network make it difficult for them to migrate.
Plasticizer migration can lead to several issues. It can cause environmental stress cracking in plastics, where hairline cracks develop and are accelerated by the contact of other components. It can also result in unwanted changes in the material properties, such as poorer mechanical properties, decreased flexibility, and toughness. Additionally, plasticizer migration can lead to the contamination of the surrounding medium, which may affect human health.
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Frequently asked questions
Plasticizers are non-volatile chemical solvents added to polymers and plastics to increase properties such as flexibility, durability, and longevity.
Plasticizers are added to polymers to promote plasticity and flexibility. They reduce the glass transition temperature of the polymer, which is the temperature at which a polymer transforms from a hard, glassy material to a soft, rubbery material. Plasticizers can also be used to control polymer degradation and increase or decrease the biodegradable rate.
Some common plasticizers include phthalate esters, sebacates, adipates, terephthalates, dibenzoates, glutarates, azelates, and dimethyl phthalate.
There have been concerns over the safety of some polymer plasticizers, particularly those containing low molecular weight ortho-phthalates, which have been classified as potential endocrine disruptors with reported developmental toxicity. Plasticizers can also migrate from the polymer matrix over time, affecting the physical and mechanical properties of the polymer.
