synthesis, characterization, and application of a bio-based plasticizer for pvc: epoxidized acetylation cardanol

A bio-based plasticizer, epoxidized acetylation cardanol, was synthesized from cardanol, which experienced acetylation reaction and epoxidation reaction. chemical structure of epoxidized acetylation cardanol was characterized by ft-ir and 1h nmr. plasticized pvc films (pvc-p) were prepared by casting method with 40%wt of epoxidized acetylation cardanol as plastizier. thermal stability and plasticizing effect of pvc and pvc-p were investigated. the results presented that epoxidized acetylation cardanol enhanced the thermal stability of pvc-p and decreased glass transition temperature (tg) from 81.9°c to 1.6°c. the tensile strength decreased from 26.60 mpa to 8.06 mpa, the elongation at break increased from 167.21 % to 905.44%. all of the results indicated that epoxidized acetylation cardanol could be used as main plasticizer for preparing flexible pvc materials.