Efficient internal plasticization of poly(vinyl chloride) via free radical copolymerization of vinyl chloride with an acrylate bearing a triazole phthalate mimic

Advances in Internal Plasticization of PVC: Copper-Mediated Atom-Transfer Radical Polymerization from PVC Defect Sites To Form Acrylate Graft Copolymers

Internally plasticized PVC copolymers were prepared by grafting PVC with butyl acrylate and 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl acrylate by atom-transfer radical polymerization, resulting in well-behaved polymers with a wide range of glass transition temperatures (–54 °C to 54 °C). When the grafted side chains made up more than 50% of the polymer by weight, the glass transition temperatures were below 0 °C. The covalent attachment of the plasticizing grafts requires one simple procedure starting from commercial PVC, making this strategy an industrially relevant and environmentally friendly alternative to the use of conventional small-molecule plasticizers.

Recent Attempts in the Design of Efficient PVC Plasticizers with Reduced Migration

This paper reviews the current trends in replacing commonly used plasticizers in poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, formulations by new compounds with reduced migration, leading to the enhancement in mechanical properties and better plasticizing efficiency. Novel plasticizers have been divided into three groups depending on the replacement strategy, i.e., total replacement, partial replacement, and internal plasticizers. Chemical and physical properties of PVC formulations containing a wide range of plasticizers have been compared, allowing observance of the improvements in polymer performance in comparison to PVC plasticized with conventionally applied bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, di-n-octyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate and di-n-octyl terephthalate. Among a variety of newly developed plasticizers, we have indicated those presenting excellent migration resistance and advantageous mechanical properties, as well as those derived from natural sources. A separate chapter has been dedicated to the description of a synergistic effect of a mixture of two plasticizers, primary and secondary, that benefits in migration suppression when secondary plasticizer is added to PVC blend.

Under pressure: electrochemically-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization of vinyl chloride

Electrochemically mediated ATRP (eATRP) of vinyl chloride (VC), a less activated monomer, was successfully achieved. It is the first report on eATRP of a gaseous monomer under pressure.