Study on a Novel Ion-Conductive Compound Plasticizer for Soft and Antistatic PVC Materials

Ion-conductive plasticizers (ICP) composed of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and butyl 2-poly(ethylene glycol) phthalate (BPEGP)/lithium bisoxalato borate (LiBOB) were successfully synthesized. The composites blended of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) and ICP were fabricated in a Haake torque rheometer. FTIR, surface resistivity measurement, and mechanical test were used to investigate the comprehensive properties of the PVC/ICP composites. The results show that all the synthesized ICP can reduce the surface resistivity of the PVC/ICP composites to 10(5) Omega sq(-1) orders of magnitude as the content of ICP reaches 50 phr. The increasing temperature enhances both the mobility of PEG molecular chains and the diffusion of lithium cations, and thus effectively improves the antistatic ability of the PVC/ICP compounds. With two exceptions of PVC/ICP compounds which include those made of PEG800 and PEG 1000, the temperature dependence of the surface resistivity of PVC/ICP does not obey the Arrhenius relationship. The introduction of ICP into PVC matrix would improve the antistatic ability of the composites remarkably. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties of the composites are reduced to some reasonable extent. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:57-60, 2010. (C) 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers