Fundamentals of plasticizers
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PVC's best friend
PVC and plasticizers:
the basics
Plastics and polymers, including PVC, are essential to our quality of life. Many PVC products need to be flexible and soft to withstand physical stress without breaking. They also need to be able to take a particular shape for each and every application.
As the third largest polymer consumed, PVC enhances the quality of our daily life.
World Plastics Materials Demand 2014
Different PVC needs for different markets
What is PVC?
- energy efficient: it takes less energy to produce than many alternative plastics3
- cost effective
- flame retardant – inherent fire safety, due to chlorine
- durable: applications have long life-span expectancy
- versatile, printable and paintable
- adaptable: can be processed in multiple manufacturing operations
- chemically resistant
- recyclable4
3 Source: Milieuvriendelijk verpakken in de toekomst (Dutch: Environmentally friendly packaging in the future), Stichting Milieudefensie (Nl), 1991.
4 In communities that have programs and facilities in place that collect and recycle PVC.
Composition
PVC chain
What are plasticizers?
Most plasticizers are esters, that make PVC soft, flexible and easy to shape
Not all plasticizer manufacturing processes are the same
2 DINCH is a trademark of BASF
Orthophthalates or terephthalates
Molecular weight
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Looking for a general purpose plasticizer?
Jayflex™ plasticizers show superior performance in the key requirements for a general purpose plasticizer.
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Regulations
Which plasticizer began its regulatory journey back in the 1980s and continues to be found safe for all current applications by regulatory agencies?
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What about "non-phthalates"?
ExxonMobil patented DOTP (DEHT) as early as 1953. Because of its poor compatibility with PVC, the company decided not to commercialize it and shifted its focus to other, more reliable solutions.
