Plasticizers are substances added to plastic products to make them soft, flexible, and highly resilient. They are incorporated into the polymer during the plastic manufacturing process to facilitate processes such as drawing, rolling, coating, and high-temperature molding. Plasticizers enhance the plastic’s resistance to acidic and alkaline conditions and improve its durability.
Plasticizers are synthesized from the esterification reaction of acids such as phthalic acid, trimellitic acid, and adipic acid with alcohols like 2-ethylhexanol and isononanol. There are various types of plasticizers with diverse chemical structures, contributing to their varied applications.
Key considerations in selecting plasticizers include
The choice of plasticizer is crucial in industries producing plastic products for food and pharmaceuticals, medical instruments, children’s toys, construction materials, automotive parts, and electrical cables. Sometimes added to improve melting processability of PVC and other polymers such as acrylic, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyurethane (PU)
These are general-purpose plasticizers used to enhance the flexibility, softness, and moldability of plastics. Examples include such as diisononyl phthalate (DINP), di(2-propylheptyl) phthalate (DPHP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP or DOP), Tri (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TOTM), Di (2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate (TOTM).
These plasticizers are often used in higher concentrations to achieve the desired flexibility and softness in plastic products.
These are often used in combination with primary plasticizers to tailor specific properties of the plastic material, such as improved resistance to cold, enhanced heat stability, or reduced volatility. Examples include adipates like di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DOA) and bio-based plasticizers like epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO).
These secondary plasticizers are used in smaller amounts to achieve specific performance targets in the final product.
| Cateory | Name | Acronym | Applications |
| Trimellitate | Tris-2-ethylhexyl trimellitate | TOTM | Cables and wires, Film and sheet, Medical Applications |
| Terephthalate | Dioctyl terephthalate | DOTP/DEHT/DEHTP | Flooring, Food packaging – Cling Wrap, Toys, Medical Applications |
| Other ester | 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3 pentanediol di-isobutyrate | TXIB | Flooring, Adhesives & Sealants, Toys |
| Ortho-phthalate | Di(2-propyl heptyl) phthalate | DPHP | Flooring, Wall coverings, Cladding and Roofing, Cables and wires, Film and sheet, Automotive, Tubes & Hoses, Coated Fabrics |
| Ortho-phthalate | Diisononyl phthalate | DINP | Flooring, Wall coverings, Cladding and Roofing, Cables and wires, Film and sheet, Automotive, Tubes & Hoses, Coated Fabrics, Inks and waxes |
| Ortho-phthalate | Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate | DEHP | PVC sheet Film Leather Wire & Cable insulation Paint |
| Ortho-phthalate | Di-n-butyl phthalate | DBP | Flooring, Automotive, Inks and waxes |
| Epoxy ester | Epoxidised soybean oil | ESBO | Automotive, Food packaging – Cling Wrap |
| Adipate | Di-2-ethylhexyl adipate | DEHA/DOA | Flooring, Wall coverings, Cladding and Roofing, Film and sheet, Automotive, Tubes & Hoses, Coated Fabrics, Inks and waxes, Food packaging – Cling Wrap, Toys |
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