A Phthalate Substitute Promises Safer Plastics
S. Himmelstein | November 02, 2018Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which in turn is used to make furniture, 
Source: University of California Santa Cruzfood packaging and numerous other products. The industrial utility of phthalates is countered by its propensity to leach out of plastics, posing health as well as environmental risks.
An alternative plasticizer that doesn’t leach out of PVC is under development at the University of California Santa Cruz. Phthalates are typically combined with ground PVC and melted and fused together. The new nonmigratory triazole‐based phthalates are chemically bonded to the polymer chain, which prevents the chemicals from leaching out.
Several plasticizer structures were developed, one of which is promising for commercial use as few steps and chemicals are required for its synthesis, and it proved the most effective of the plasticizing routes tested.
If there is worry over potentiial health problems fromphthalates leaching out of plastic we use .... maybe people should stop exposing themselves to phthalates with the myriad of air fresheners and scented oils and candles that disperse phthalates to into the air for the expess purpose of dumbing down your olfactory nerves hence ,'cleaning the air of odors'.
Anybody besides me a little bit skeptical about the wisdom of pouring boiling water into a "BPA free", I-feel-so-much-bette
How about those memory foam beds that people sleep on.. can you imagine the amount of plasticizer that is soaked in that polymer? and people lie in bed and breathe that for 1/3 of their daily life.
i can imagine that some day (when someone gets smart enough to realize that this is a hazard) these beds will be discontinued as lawsuits knock the sellers out of business.
I know that the Chinese manufacturers could care less what they put in them.
In reply to #3
You are right, there may be significant exposure there. Still it seems that it would probably be dwarfed by the exposure from phthalates intentionally aerosolized speficically into indoor breathing space for the purpose of breathing scented air.
What type of phthalate base is it? Co or Zn?
Hint: phthalates are used as accelerators; so they react with monomers included the PVC.
In reply to #5
"... phthalates are used as accelerators; so they react with ..."
Could you elaborate?
AFAIK: Phthalates are used as plasticizers most commonly (not accelerators that I can think of, though an example to the contrary would be enlightening/appreci
In reply to #6
yes that is how i have used them over the years with Benzyl Butyl Phthalate the plasticizer of choice for ceramic tape casting using organic solvents.
I use a polymer/ceramic powder thin film to make ceramic widgets.
these tapes are made using something similar to paint which is poured on a mylar film and as the film is pulled under a " Doctor Blade" which is a metering device that is bacially a slit that allows a desired thickness to be cast on the mylar film. after the slurry-slip-paint dries, it is removed from the mylar and used.
The tape would crack if no plasticizer were used. the plasticizer will usually last aprox. 6 mts. to a year before the plasticizer evaporates out.