Analysis of the effects of using environmentally friendly plasticizers

We all know that plasticizers have been widely used in medicine, food packaging, daily necessities, toys, etc. In recent years, we have found that environmentally friendly plasticizers have also begun to be used in these industries. So, why should we use environmentally friendly plasticizers? We can analyze it from two aspects: the role of plasticizers and the benefits of environmentally friendly plasticizers.

1. The role of plasticizers

1.1. Increase the flexibility of polymers

One of the functions of plasticizers is to increase the flexibility of polymers. It is for this reason that plasticizers have a wide range of uses in medicine and toys. Many people know that plasticizers can be used as additives in plastics, but they don’t know that they can also be used in medical equipment. In general, plasticizers are added to intravenous (IV) infusion bags and tubing, umbilical artery catheters, blood bags and infusion tubing, enteral nutrition feeding bags, nasogastric tubes, peritoneal dialysis bags and tubing, extracorporeal circulation (CPB) tubing, membrane lung oxygenation tubing (ECMO) and dialysis tubing.

1.2. Reduce the glass transition temperature

The mechanism of reducing the glass transition temperature is that when the plasticizer is melted with the resin, the small molecules of the plasticizer will be inserted between the polymer molecular chains, weakening the attraction between the polymer molecular chains and increasing the distance between them. As a result, the possibility of polymer molecular chain movement is increased, and the entanglement between polymer molecular chains is reduced, so that the resin can undergo glass transition at a lower temperature, thereby increasing the plasticity of the plastic.

1.3. Reduce the surface hardness of polymers

The effect of reducing the surface hardness of polymers lies in the properties of each group on the polymer molecular chain. The molecular chains with strong polar groups have strong interaction forces, while the molecular chains with non-polar groups have small interaction forces. In order to make polymers with strong polar groups easy to form, plasticizers can be added. The polar groups of plasticizers will interact with the polar groups of polymers, thereby weakening the attraction between polymers, thus achieving the purpose of plasticization.

1.4. Reduce melt viscosity

This effect is mainly reflected in records and packaging materials. The key role is played by succinic acid compounds. They can produce impact-resistant and cold-resistant polyvinyl chloride copolymers by copolymerization. The plasticizer processed in this way can play a role in reducing melt viscosity.

2. Benefits of environmentally friendly plasticizers

Above, we have introduced why we should use plasticizers. The use of environmentally friendly plasticizers is an inevitable trend in the use of plasticizers. From the above introduction, we can see that plasticizers are still used a lot now, but as a chemical substance, excessive use is likely to bring pressure to environmental protection. Why do we say this? As the use of plasticizers increases, the corresponding waste will also increase. Once the waste is accumulated, some chemical reactions will occur, which will be beyond our control. But on the one hand, the role of plasticizers is still very large, so people produce environmentally friendly plasticizers to alleviate environmental pressure. In this way, environmentally friendly plasticizers are still necessary.