Application of Zinc Oxide to Obtain and Modify Properties of Adipate Plasticizer of Polyvinyl Chloride

Heterogeneous catalysts are widely used in basic research and in the petrochemical industry due to their effectiveness. In modern times, interest in this type of catalyst and, in particular, in mineral oxides is associated with the technological design of the process, namely: The absence of waste emissions, and the possibility of regeneration and reuse of the catalyst, which meets the criteria of green chemistry. For this reason, the preparation of non-toxic adipate plasticizers is expediently carried out under conditions of heterogeneous catalysis. Zinc oxide was chosen for this purpose, and as initial reagents: Adipic acid, butoxyethanol, and phenoxyethanol. For synthesized butoxyethylphenoxyethyl adipate by thermogravimetry on a TGA-DSC-combined thermal analysis instrument and differential scanning calorimetry on a DSC-1 instrument («Mettler Toledo»), the following properties were studied: Thermal stability, melting and crystallization temperatures, polymer compatibility. An analysis of the data in comparison with di-2-ethylhexylphthalate confirmed the possibility of using it as a plasticizing additive in PVC compositions. The zinc compound obtained in situ as part of the developed plasticizing composition contributes to increasing the color and thermal stability of the obtained PVC compositions.