Plasticising and Stabilising Effect of Novel Epoxidised Mee Oil on PVC

The plasticising and stabilising effects of novel epoxidised Mee oil (EMO) and its derivatives on poly (vinyl chloride) were investigated. Peroxymethanoic acid was used to epoxidise Mee oil and the product was characterised by FTIR, iodine value, and oxirane content. Solubility parameter values were also determined. Plasticising effects of PVC incorporating EMO were evaluated using tensile and mechanical properties as well as FTIR. It was found that substantial levels of 100% epoxidised oil derivatives of Mee oil (E100M) could be added to PVC; typically about 50 phr E100M with 30 phr of DOP. It was observed that increasing levels of E100M with DOP enhanced the plasticising efficiency; flexibility, percentage elongation, softness, and MFI. The stability provided by EMO in terms of changes in elastic modulus during high-temperature ageing was modelled kinetically, and it was found that the kinetic model obeyed a law of the form: ln (log E-a - log E) = kt + C Activation energy values for the change in elastic modulus of PVC suggest some degree of synergism between EMO and Ca/Zn stearate system. Clearly E100M may be regarded as an effective secondary plasticiser as well as a stabiliser; perhaps more so than the other oil derivatives of Mee oil.