Epoxidized dimeric acid methyl ester derived from rubber seed oil and its application as secondary plasticizer

A novel plasticizer epoxidized dimeric acid methyl ester (EDAMe) based on rubber seed oil was synthesized. Chemical structure of EDAMe was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Effects of EDAMe as secondary plasticizer and its substitution of commercial plasticizer dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) in soft poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films were studied. The thermal properties, mechanical properties and migration stabilities of PVC films were explored with DMA, TG, TG–FTIR, dynamic thermal stability analysis, tensile and migration tests. The results indicated that the epoxidized rubber seed oil based ester has significantly higher thermal stability than DOTP. When DOTP was substituted with 20% (m/m) EDAMe, the results of initial decomposition temperature ( T i ), 10% and 50% mass loss temperatures ( T 10 and T 50 ), and the first maximum weight-loss temperature rate ( T P1 ) reached 267.2  °C, 263.5 °C, 307.3 °C and 298.9 °C, respectively. Furthermore, flexibility of the obtained PVC films enhanced significantly with the adding of EDAMe. The migration stabilities of EDAMe was also investigated and showed good migration resistance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133 , 43668.