Internal plasticization of PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is among the most abundant plastics worldwide. Phthalates and other plasticizers-small molecules added to PVC to impart flexibility-have raised numerous health concerns due to their tendency to migrate out of PVC, where they can be ingested or contaminate the environment. Internal plasticization, in which a plasticizer is covalently bound to the PVC backbone, offers a solution to the problem of plasticizer migration. This comprehensive review covers the preparation of internally plasticized PVC in the literature. Strategies fall into three main categories: nucleophilic substitution of chlorine atoms on PVC; graft polymerization using plasticizing monomers, usually from defect sites in the PVC backbone; and copolymerization of vinyl chloride with monomers bearing plasticizing species. Minimizing cost and number of synthetic steps are important considerations when designing plasticizers for this large-scale commodity plastic.

Automated summary

PVC, a widely used plastic, contains plasticizers that can raise health concerns. Internal plasticization, where plasticizers are covalently bound to the PVC backbone, offers a solution to the issue of plasticizer migration. Research methods mainly include nucleophilic substitution, graft polymerization, and copolymerization.