The Effect of Epoxidized Safflower Oil on the Properties of Polyvinyl Chloride Films

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is among the top three most widely used plastics globally. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is often added as a plasticizer by up to 40 wt% to impart flexibility. DEHP, a toxin and carcinogen, can leach into the atmosphere to cause environmental contamination. This study investigates the suitability of epoxidized safflower oil, namely Carthamus tinctorius oil (ECTO), as a PVC plasticizer. PVC films with DEHP and ECTO were compared in resilience, elastic modulus, toughness, and glass transition temperature. ECTO films displayed statistically similar physical properties of resilience, elastic modulus, and toughness at up to 30 wt%. ECTO films of 0 to 40 wt% all displayed significantly lower glass transition temperature.