OLEOSOFTbio plasticizers

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• Plasticizers are an important component used in plastics industry to increase flexibility in thermoplastic polymers and resins, especially PVC, and elastomers. For a long time, the most common plasticizers in the industry have been phthalates because of their good mechanical characteristics, low tendency to exudation, and low production cost in comparison to other plasticizers. However, the classification of phthalates as dangerous and their inclusion on the list of substances of very high concern identification (SVHC), have induced the industry to develop alternative plasticizers which are non-toxic and safe for the environment.

  KVT, together with an industrial partner, has developed a new plasticizer for polymers derived from vegetable oils and sugars. The product is phthalate-free and non-toxic. The plasticizers produced in the laboratory scale pilot plant have been tested and compared with the phthalate-based plasticizers commonly used on the market like di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and modern phthalate alternatives like DINCH, DEHTP, G-SNS, P-401 and TDAE.

  Tests conducted:

  • Shore A hardness
  • Young’s modulus
  • Tear propagation resistance
  • Migration at 80 °C
  • Thermal stability
  • Artificial weathering

  The results show that the performance of the new bio-plasticizer is equivalent to commonly used DINP plasticizers (and even better in thermal stability) and better than the other modern phthalate alternatives.

  The same machinery (extruders) used for DINP based compounds can be used for the new bio-plasticizers.

• Transesterification of fatty acid with alcohol
• Epoxidation of fatty acid ester with hydrogen peroxide

• Non-toxic
• Uses plant-based raw materials
• Improved mechanical and physical performance over competing fossil based products
• Lower operating cost and equipment wear due to improved viscosity – reduced absorption time by the plastics mixture

• Cable production
• Toy production
• Wire production
• Packaging production
• Medical wire production
• Building material production