Effect of Modified Cardanol as Secondary Plasticizer on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Soft Polyvinyl Chloride

[Image: see text] This study represents the first attempt to prepare a novel cardanol-based plasticizer. Modified cardanol (MC, i.e., phosphorylated cardanol) containing nitrogen and phosphoric acid groups was synthesized and then incorporated into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the secondary plasticizer for partial substitution of dioctyl phthalate (DOP). The molecular structure of MC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. The thermal degradation behavior, mechanical performance, and compatibility of MC were also investigated. The substitution of DOP with MC enables PVC blends to have higher thermal stability, tensile strength, and leaching resistance. The tensile strength is increased from 17.7 MPa for DOP/PVC blend (MC-0) to 25.7 MPa for MC/PVC blend (MC-4), and the elongation at break is increased from 256 to 432%, respectively. The microstructure of the tensile fractured surface was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the addition of MC allows PVC blends to have well-balanced properties of flexibility and strength and excellent migration resistance.