Synergistic effect in gamma-irradiated poly(vinyl chloride) hard foils stabilized by plasticizer–stabilizer systems

Changes in transparency and color as well as G_HCl values of hard PVC foils exposed to gamma radiation were investigated while using different amounts of the stabilizers ethylene glycol bis-β-aminocrotonate (I), calcium/zinc laurate + epoxy compounds (II), and magnesium/zinc stearate + sorbitol + epoxy compounds (III), and plasticizers dioctyl phthalate (DOP) (IV), dioctyl sebacate (V), propylene glycol polyadipate + octyl alcohol composition (VI), and diisotridecyl phthalate (VII). A strong synergistic effect was observed in systems containing both plasticizer and stabilizer. Best results were obtained for the I + II + IV, I + II + V, and I + III + V systems.