Non-toxic Plasticizers Research Articles

In situ formed poly(ε-caprolactone) as a novel non-toxic plasticizer of poly(vinyl chloride)

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is the third most produced synthetic polymer in the world, irreplaceable in many applications including medical ones. The production of soft PVC presents a problem with volatile low-molecular plasticizers that can be harmful to human health. Therefore, they are often replaced with polymeric plasticizers, which are less effective and require higher processing temperature, however. In this work, we have studied a specific method of PVC plasticization consisting in the mixing of PVC with monomeric ε-caprolactone in a closed system. During thermal treatment of the mixture, in situ polymerization of the ε-caprolactone occurs, initiated by a tin stabilizer of PVC present in the mixture, which results in the formation of poly(ε-caprolactone), a non-toxic and bio-degradable polymeric plasticizer with various molar mass. In this way, a stable plasticized PVC material can be obtained, the thermal stability, softening range and mechanical properties of which correspond to the use of conventional plasticizers.

Fabrication of advanced positively charged polyamide nanofiltration membrane for effective removal of heavy metal ions via surfactant-plasticizer-synergy assisted interfacial polymerization

Positively charged nanofiltration (NF) membrane has shown great potential for the removal of heavy metal ions from contaminated water. In order to fabricate positively charged membranes, polyethyleneimine (PEI) is widely used considering the existence of abundant amine groups in this branched macromolecule. However, the PEI-based NF membranes often suffer from low permeance due to the highly dense polyamide film. In this study, a surfactant-plasticizer-synergy (SPS) assisted fabrication strategy is proposed to fabricate PEI-based NF membrane with high performance. The surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and nontoxic plasticizer acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) are added into the aqueous phase and organic phase respectively to regulate the interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction between PEI and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC). As a result of the enhanced miscibility of the two phases at the presence of SDS, the diffusion of PEI monomer is promoted and this contributes to a positively charged membrane surface, which effectively improves the rejections of NF membrane towards positive ions. On the other hand, the plasticizer ATBC softens the polyamide film as confirmed by the reduced Young’s modulus. This could enhance the flexibility of polymer chains and promote the transportation of water molecule. Compared with the nascent PEI-TPC membrane, the permeance of PEI/SDS + TPC/ATBC experiences a dramatic promotion from 2.5 L∙m−2∙h−1∙bar−1 to 9.7 L∙m−2∙h−1∙bar−1 and the MgCl2 rejection also increases from 95.9% to 97.8%. More importantly, the rejections of PEI/SDS + TPC/ATBC towards various heavy metal ions are all above 90.0% and they also follow the order: Mn2+(97.6%) > Ni2+(96.8%) > Cu2+(95.7%) > Cd2+(91.0%). This SPS assisted IP reaction may provide a simple and low-cost strategy for the fabrication of high-performance TFC membranes for diverse applications in the future.

Environmentally friendly plasticized electrolyte based on chitosan (CS): Potato starch (PS) polymers for EDLC application: Steps toward the greener energy storage devices derived from biopolymers

Biopolymer membranes derived from natural resources are environmentally friendly materials and their use for electrochemical energy storage devices has attracted a great deal of attention. Here, chitosan (CS) and potato starch (PS) doped with ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) were used as host electrolyte. Various weight percent of glycerol (Gly) as a non-toxic plasticizer are used to prepare novel plasticized solid biopolymer electrolytes (PSBEs) through solution casting method, which is subsequently used as a mediator in electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) application. Inclusion of Gly participated significantly in minimizing the crystallinity nature of the membranes as revealed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the complexation among the constituents of the electrolyte. Ion transport parameters determined by FTIR and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques have shown comparable results. The optimum composition of PSBE is achieved when 24 wt% of Gly is added (CPNHG3), which has shown the best ion conductivity (1.62×10−3Scm−1) from the EIS study. This film has exhibited also an excellent ion transference number (tion) of (0.989) and a large electrochemical potential stability (2.1 V) measured by transfer number measurement (TNM) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) methods. The restriction to ion movement was observed for the samples overloaded with Gly (32 and 40 wt%) due to the blockage effect, which reflected on ion conductivity and transport parameters. The assembled EDLC device provided a specific capacitance (Cspc) of 16.1 F/g at 10 mV/s scan rate with no sign of redox reaction, which was proven by either cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) techniques. Further, the cyclic stability and high performance of the EDLC regarding energy density, power density, and coulombic efficiency were confirmed throughout the 2500 cycles.

Thermomechanical Properties of Nontoxic Plasticizers for Polyvinyl Chloride Predicted from Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Environmental and toxicity concerns dictate replacement of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer used to impart flexibility and thermal stability to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Potential alternatives to DEHP in PVC include diheptyl succinate (DHS), diethyl adipate (DEA), 1,4-butanediol dibenzoate (1,4-BDB), and dibutyl sebacate (DBS). To examine whether that these bio-based plasticizers can compete with DEHP, we need to compare their tensile, mechanical, and diffusional properties. This work focuses on predicting the effect these plasticizers have on Tg, Young's modulus, shear modulus, fractional free volume, and diffusion for PVC-plasticizer systems. Where data was available, the results from this study are in good agreement with the experiment; we conclude that DBS and DHS are most promising green plasticizers for PVC, since they have properties comparable to DEHP but not the environmental and toxicity concerns.

Examination of Milstein Ru-PNN and Rh-Tribi/Tetrabi dual metal catalyst for isomerization-linear-hydroformylation of C4 raffinate and internal olefins

Isomerization-linear-hydroformylation is demanding, however, not an addressed issue, for the production of value-added linear aldehydes by converting cheap and abundant internal alkenes available from bio- & petrochemical industry. In this paper, a dual metal catalysis system combining a Ru-isomerization catalyst and a Rh-linear-hydroformylation catalyst satisfying the “4S” criterions was reported for isomerization-linear-hydroformylation of C4 raffinate (mixed butenes) and internal olefins. The optimized dual metal catalyst system hydroformylated Raffinate II feed to valuable valeraldehyde in 98% linear selectivity (n:i ​= ​49), 80% conversion and high activity of 1069 h−1 TOF whereas 96% linear selectivity (n:i ​= ​24), 71% conversion and 948 h−1 TOF were observed using only the Rh-hydroformylation catalyst. Notably, valeraldehyde are produced in million tons scale annually for making non-toxic plasticizer DPHP. Various 2-olefins were also converted to linear aldehydes in > 98% linear selectivity (n:i ​> ​49), 78%–82% conversion and high activity of 802–851 h−1 TOF.

Fluorescence-encoded poly(methyl metharcylate) nanoparticles for a lateral flow assay detecting IgM autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) belongs to the most often occurring autoimmune diseases in the world. For serological diagnosis, IgM auto-antibodies directed against the Fc portion of IgG referred to as rheumatoid factor are used as biomarkers. The autoantibody detection is usually done by ELISA. Such assays are reliable but are not suitable for point-of-care testing in contrast to lateral flow assays. Here, we report the development of a lateral flow assay based on carboxylated fluorescence-encoded poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles. Poly(methyl methacrylate) is a non-toxic plastic with an excellent biocompatibility and high optical transparency which promises especially high sensitive fluorescence detection thereby leading to very sensitive assays. We could detect a positive signal in samples with a nephelometric reading down to 0.4 U/mL. By analyzing 30 sera of patients with a RA diagnosis and 34 sera of healthy test subjects we could confirm positive ELISA results in 72% of all cases and negative ELISA results in 97% of all cases.

Renewable atom-efficient dendrimer-like acetate: from toxic tung oil to non-toxic plasticizers

Over the last 60 years, phthalate plasticizer production has increased manifold, owing to their inexpensive, multipurpose, durable, and lightweight nature. These characteristics have raised the demand for phthalate plasticizers that will continue to grow over the coming years. However, with increased phthalate plasticizer production comes increased water pollution and soil pollution, as well as serious harm to human health. The recent studies mainly focused on plasticizing properties, plasticizing mechanism, and raw material sources, but the relationship of chemical structure of the plasticizer and its toxicity has never been reported. In this study, we synthesized three kinds of renewable atom-efficient dendrimer-like plasticizers based on toxic tung oil (DPTs). Plasticizing properties, plasticizing mechanism, and toxicity of DPTs were investigated. The results showed that polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/40 phr DPT has superior plasticizing properties and migration resistance than PVC/40 phr dioctyl phthalate. All DPT plasticizers have toxic doses of 5000 mg/kg and are non-toxic. These DPTs are potential to replace reproductive toxic phthalate plasticizers in food packaging materials, toys, and medical equipment.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate induces heart looping disorders during zebrafish development.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a type of plasticizer widely used in industry. It is well-known for its toxic effects to endocrine and reproductive systems and has been detected in amniotic fluid and placenta. In the present study, we explored the effects of DEHP on heart development by using zebrafish as a model organism. DEHP (0.02 pg) was injected into the yolk sac of zebrafish embryos at the one-cell stage. No significant difference was found in embryonic lethality between control and DEHP groups at 1-day postfertilization (dpf), but mortality significantly increased in DEHP groups at 2 and 3 dpf. The average heart rate was significantly reduced in the surviving DEHP-treated zebrafish larvae at 3 and 4 dpf. In addition, massive pericardial edema was found in DEHP-treated zebrafish (12.6 ± 1.5%), which was significantly higher than that of the control group. Serious heart looping disorder was also observed in DEHP-treated larvae, mainly manifested with an elongated atrial-ventricular distance. Moreover, the expression of heart development transcription factors was affected by DEHP injection. Real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed that five transcription factors (hand2, tp53, mef2c, esr1, and tbx18) were significantly downregulated in the DEHP group at 2 dpf, and three transcription factors (zic3, tcf21, and gata4) were significantly upregulated. Our results emphasize the need for the development of a nontoxic plasticizer to prevent possible deleterious effects on humans and other life-forms.

Esterification of Succinic Acid Using Sulfated Zirconia Supported on SBA‐15

AbstractCatalytic esterification of succinic acid with ethanol to obtain diethyl succinate (DES), a nontoxic plasticizer, is reported. Three sulfated zirconias supported on SBA‐15 [SZ‐SBA‐15(X)] with Si/Zr molar ratios (X) of 10, 20, and 30 were synthesized and characterized. N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms and X‐ray diffraction patterns evidenced preservation of the ordered mesoporous structure of the catalysts after incorporation of Zr. Yields of DES greater than 85 % were obtained at the final reaction time by using SZ‐SBA‐15(10) and SZ‐SBA‐15(20) catalysts, which were higher than those achieved with Amberlyst 36. Reuse of the SZ‐SBA‐15(20) catalyst showed that, even though the structure of the support was preserved, decreases in sulfur concentration and in the DES yield occurred.

The Effect of a Zinc-Containing Additive on the Properties of PVC Compounds

Polymeric materials that undergo degradation under the influence of biological media have attracted widespread attention in recent decades. This is due to the ability to eliminate the negative impact on the environment, gradually reducing the scale of plastic waste pollution. At the same time, it remains relevant to ensure the necessary performance characteristics of products for a certain period of use. An important direction in the field of biodegradable composite compositions is the development of nontoxic additives in order to ensure their safe interaction with biological media. In this regard, a method has been developed for the joint production of a new nontoxic plasticizer decyl phenoxyethyl adipate and a biocidal additive of zinc decyl adipate. The effect of the obtained additives on the biodegradation of PVC film samples under natural conditions was studied. The period of biocidal action of zinc compound formed in situ in an amount of 0.3% in the composition of PVC films using the developed plasticizer was determined.

Recycling of waste poly(vinyl chloride) fill materials to produce new polymer composites with propylene glycol plasticizer and waste sawdust of Albizia lebbeck wood

Plastic waste management is a burning issue nowadays. In this study, new wood-plastic composites were made using waste poly(vinyl chloride), plasticizer and waste sawdust of Albizia lebbeck wood at different weight percentages (0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) by mechanical recycling process. At first, waste rigid poly(vinyl chloride) fill materials of cooling tower were cleaned, grinded into recyclates and characterized by physical, mechanical, morphological and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared analyses. Nontoxic plasticizer propylene glycol was added into the waste rigid poly(vinyl chloride) recyclates to make it flexible and investigated its addition effect on the tensile, thermal and morphological properties of rigid poly(vinyl chloride). Results indicated that, the addition of plasticizer reduced the tensile strength and thermal stability of the waste poly(vinyl chloride). Lebbeck wood sawdust reinforced propylene glycol plasticized waste poly(vinyl chloride) composites were prepared via solution casting method and their mechanical, thermal and morphological characteristics were investigated. Tensile strength of the composites was found to be increased significantly for 1 ​wt% sawdust reinforced plasticized waste poly(vinyl chloride) composites. Thermogravimetric analyses showed increased thermal stability for 1 ​wt% sawdust reinforced plasticized waste poly(vinyl chloride) composite than the plasticized neat poly(vinyl chloride). Morphological analyses of the composites also revealed the better result for 1 ​wt% sawdust reinforced plasticized waste poly(vinyl chloride) composites. The produced recycled plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) composites can be used in electrical cable insulation, packaging and automotive applications with cost and environmental benefits.

Eco-friendly, self-healing, and stretchable graphene hydrogels functionalized with diol oligomer for wearable sensing applications

Graphene-based materials are of emerging interest; however, low stretchability limits their potential for wearable and sustainable electronics. Thus, this study presents the development of deformable and self-healing graphene hydrogels functionalized with polyurethane diol oligomer for wearable sensing applications. Controlling the loading of the oligomer, acting as a non-toxic plasticizer and providing abundant hydrogen bonds, is crucial to turn the functionalized hydrogels into a quasi-solid state with good stretchability and rapid healing ability (at room temperature). In sensing measurements, resistive-type sensors employing the functionalized hydrogels as the active channel show high responsiveness towards either small temperature changes (ΔT ∼ 0.2 °C near 25 °C) or the existence of ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gases at very low concentrations (0.7–20 ppm and 0.8–3.5 ppm, respectively). Notably, the ammonia detectability of our material is excellent in a wide relative humidity range (0–65 %). Besides, the sensors can be elongated to 30 %, and the healing ability of the hydrogels can recover the sensing capability of damaged sensors (about 90 % in 30 s). Overall, the obtained results suggest that our functionalized graphene hydrogels are promising for developing wearable sensing applications like e-skin and e-nose.

Preparation of Biomass-Based Ester End-Capped Hyperbranched Poly(ether)s via Facile One-Pot Reaction and Their Performance as Non-Toxic Plasticizers.

The aim of this study was to develop a facile one-pot reaction for the synthesis of biomass-based hyperbranched poly(ether)s end-capped as acetate esters (BHE) for use as a sustainable, safe and feasible plasticizer for flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) materials. BHE is completely miscible with PVC but shows weaker plasticizing effect than dioctyl phthalate (DOP) (EΔTg value of BHE reaches 64.8%). PVC plasticized with BHE displays greater thermal stability than that of PVC or PVC plasticized with DOP materials. BHE improves the thermal stability and flexibility of PVC materials. As a plasticizer, BHE displays lower solvent extractability and greater volatilization resistance than DOP. Acute oral toxicity indicates that BHE has toxic doses of 5 g/kg, suggesting that BHE is non-toxic.

Highly branched and nontoxic plasticizers based on natural cashew shell oil by a facile and sustainable way

Abstract Almost 80% of plasticizers used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials are toxic o-phenyl plasticizers. In order to replace o-phenyl plasticizers in PVC materials, a series of highly branched and nontoxic plasticizers (CHE-4,CHE-8 and CHE-12) based on natural cashew shell oil (CNSL), an agricultural and forestry residue, were synthesized via facile one-pot solvent-free synthesis. The chemical structure, relative molecular mass and thermal stability of the obtained highly branched and nontoxic plasticizers were characterized. The toxicity of CHE-12 was investigated in the low (1000 mg/kg), middle (2000 mg/kg and 3000 mg/kg) and high dose (5000 mg/kg), the results suggested that CHE-12 has toxic doses of 5000 mg/kg and is a non-toxic plasticizer. PVC materials plasticized with CHE-12 showed more excellent thermal stability, plasticizing property and migration stability than dioctyl phthalate (DOP). Microstructure of PVC materials was investigated and the results showed that compatibility of PVC with CHE-12 is better than DOP. The microscopic plasticizing mechanism was also investigated. CHEs were proved to be promising candidates for the chemical conversion of CNSL derivatives into environmentally friendly and non-toxic plasticizers.

Prediction of plasticization in a real biopolymer system (starch) using molecular dynamics simulations

Virgin biopolymers are often brittle, which means that they need efficient, sustainable, non-toxic plasticizers for most practical applications. Although the mechanical properties of biopolymers plasticized with e.g. sugars have been extensively investigated, the explanation why efficient plasticization normally only occurs above 20 wt% plasticizer is still lacking. In this work, starch/glycerol was used as a model system to show that all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can be used to capture the transition region at 20–30 wt% plasticizer, where plasticization becomes pronounced. Tensile properties and PVT data (densities and glass transition temperatures) were obtained both from MD simulations and from measurements on real starch/glycerol materials, confirming that MD could capture the experimentally observed transition region. Also, the simulated glycerol diffusivity correlated well with the trends in the mechanical properties. Percolation theory was used to derive a probable explanation of the observed transition. The results indicate that the MD methodology can be used also for other polymer/plasticizer systems and has the potential to be a valuable tool for optimizing the type and amount of plasticizer in a given polymer, as well as being a tool for the design of new efficient plasticizers.

Nontoxic bio-plasticizers for PVC as replacements for conventional toxic plasticizers

Stretched PVC film samples were created to compare the performance of toxic and non-toxic plasticizers. The reference films were produced with ditridecyl phthalate and trinonyl benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylate. Comparable films were created using non-toxic plasticizers, hydrogenated castor oil, epoxidized soybean oil, and a mixture of both. The hydrogenated castor oil is a mixture of glycerin acetates and acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids while epoxidized soybean oil is a plasticizer employed in toy and childcare applications. Plasticizer migration, tensile properties and dynamic friction were determined and compared. The combination of hydrogenated castor oil and epoxidized soybean oil based plasticizers shows comparable mechanical performance of that PVC to PVC with conventional toxic plasticizers.

Sustainable Catalytic Process for Synthesis of Triethyl Citrate Plasticizer over Phosphonated USY Zeolite

Fruits wastage is harmful to health and environment concerning spreading diseases and soil pollution, respectively. To avoid this issue, use of citrus fruit waste for the production of citric acid (CA) is one of viable mean to obtain value added chemicals. Moreover, synthesis of triethyl citrate (TEC), a non-toxic plasticizer by esterification of CA with ethanol over heterogeneous catalyst would be renewable and sustainable catalytic process. In this context, parent Ultrastable Y (USY) and different percentage phosphonated USY (P-USY) zeolites were used for the synthesis of TEC in a closed batch reactor, for the first time. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by N2-adsorption desorption isotherm, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and NH3 temperature programmed desorption (TPD. Effect of reaction conditions, such as the molar ratio of ethanol to CA (5:1 - 20:1), the catalyst to CA ratio (0.05 - 0.25) and reaction temperature (363-403 K), were studied in view to maximizing CA conversion and TEC yield. Phosphonated USY catalysts were found to be superior in activity (CA conversion and TEC yield) than parent USY, which is attributed to the increased in total acidity with phosphonation. Among the studied catalysts, the P2USY (2% phosphorous loaded on USY) was found to be an optimum catalyst with 99% CA conversion and 82% TEC yield, which is higher than the reported values. This study opens new avenues of research demonstrating principles of green chemistry such as easy separable and reusable catalyst, non-toxic product, bio-renewable synthetic route, milder operating parameters and waste minimization.

In vitro functional screening as a means to identify new plasticizers devoid of reproductive toxicity

Plasticizers are indispensable additives providing flexibility and malleability to plastics. Among them, several phthalates, including di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have emerged as endocrine disruptors, leading to their restriction in consumer products and creating a need for new, safer plasticizers. The goal of this project was to use in vitro functional screening tools to select novel non-toxic plasticizers suitable for further in vivo evaluation. A panel of novel compounds with satisfactory plasticizer properties and biodegradability were tested, along with several commercial plasticizers, such as diisononyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH®). MEHP, the monoester metabolite of DEHP was also included as reference compound. Because phthalates target mainly testicular function, including androgen production and spermatogenesis, we used the mouse MA-10 Leydig and C18-4 spermatogonial cell lines as surrogates to examine cell survival, proliferation, steroidogenesis and mitochondrial integrity. The most promising compounds were further assessed on organ cultures of rat fetal and neonatal testes, corresponding to sensitive developmental windows. Dose-response studies revealed the toxicity of most maleates and fumarates, while identifying several dibenzoate and succinate plasticizers as innocuous on Leydig and germ cells. Interestingly, DINCH®, a plasticizer marketed as a safe alternative to phthalates, exerted a biphasic effect on steroid production in MA-10 and fetal Leydig cells. MEHP was the only plasticizer inducing the formation of multinucleated germ cells (MNG) in organ culture. Overall, organ cultures corroborated the cell line data, identifying one dibenzoate and one succinate as the most promising candidates. The adoption of such collaborative approaches for developing new chemicals should help prevent the development of compounds potentially harmful to human health.

Evaluation of some eco‐friendly plasticizers forPLAfilms processing

ABSTRACTThis study was conducted as a first step in order to obtain green materials for food packaging by using an eco‐friendly bioplastic, polylactic acid (PLA), and nontoxic plasticizers. Different types of nontoxic biocompatible plasticizers/lubricants, both obtained in the laboratory, as well as commercial ones, were employed to modulate physical and mechanical properties of PLA. Melt compounding by means of a Brabender mixer led to obtaining of homogeneous materials. The incorporation of PLA oligomer,l‐lactide, poly(ethylene glycol), and epoxidized soybean oil (USE) improved the melt flow and processability, increasing the hydrophilicity of the resulted plasticized PLA systems. USE significantly increased the elongation at break, reduced the glass transition temperature, and increased the PLA chain mobility. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2016,133, 43223.

Benzyl ester of dehydrated castor oil fatty acid as plasticizer for poly(vinyl chloride)

The poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) industry plays an important role in today's total plastics industry. The major volume of PVC is used as soft and plasticized PVC. PVC applications consume approximately 80% of the total production of plasticizers. Most of the common plasticizers are aromatic esters of phthalic acid. In the majority of countries, phthalate plasticizers are banned due to their carcinogenic properties. The concern raised about toxicity led to a large demand for bio-based non-toxic plasticizers. Hence, there is an increasing interest in replacing the phthalate plasticizers with those produced from simple bio-based materials. Dehydrated castor oil fatty acid (DCOFA) is a renewable resource which can be esterified and used as an environment friendly plasticizer for PVC. Benzyl ester (BE) was prepared by reacting DCOFA with benzyl alcohol in the presence of catalyst at 170–180 °C. Esterification was further confirmed by acid value, hydroxyl number, 1H NMR and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The modified plasticizer was used in various proportions as a co-plasticizer in PVC for partial replacement of dioctyl phthalate (DOP). With an increase in the proportion of BE in PVC samples, a good plasticizing performance was observed. The incorporation of BE also resulted in a reduction in viscosity and viscosity pick-up and improved mechanical, exudation, thermal degradation and chemical resistance properties. The presence of BE showed a reduction in the whiteness index due to presence of conjugated double bonds in the structure. The results of DSC, XRD and Shore hardness studies showed no significant variation in properties compared with those of DOP-plasticized sheets and thus we can conclude that BE can be used as a co-plasticizer in PVC. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry