Dialkyl furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylates,epoxidized fatty acid esters and their mixtures as bio‐based plasticizers for poly(VInylchloride)

Dialkyl furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylates and epoxidized fatty acid esters (EFAE) of varying molecular weights and volatilities, as well as their mixtures, were investigated as alternative plasticizers for poly(vinylchloride) (PVC). The EFAE utilized were epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and epoxidized fatty acid methyl ester (e‐FAME). All plasticizers were compatible with PVC, with plasticization efficiencies usually increasing with decreasing molecular weights of the plasticizers (except in the case of ESO, which was remarkably effective at plasticizing PVC, in spite of its relatively high molecular weight). In comparison with phthalate and trimellitate plasticizers, the alternatives generally yielded improved balance of flexibility and retention of mechanical properties after heat aging, with particularly outstanding results obtained using 30?50 wt % e‐FAME in mixtures with diisotridecyl 2,5‐furandicarboxylate. Although heat aging characteristics of the plasticized polymer were often related to plasticizer volatilities, e‐FAME performed better than bis(2‐ethylhexyl) 2,5‐furandicarboxylate, and bis(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate of comparatively higher molecular weights. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42382.