Multi-functional polyvinyl chloride plastic additive based on epoxidized linseed oil-polycaprolactone: Preparation and application performance study

Abstract

Flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a class of widely used medical plastic materials, where the integration of diverse additives is crucial for fine-tuning their comprehensive properties. Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on the biological safety and performance standards of medical devices, necessitating the urgent development of novel PVC-based medical plastics. Herein, a multifunctional polymer additive based on epoxidized linseed oil and polycaprolactone (ELO-PCL) was designed and synthesized. ELO-PCL exhibited outstanding migration resistance, negligible toxicity and excellent compatibility with PVC. Differential scanning calorimetry and tensile tests confirmed that ELO-PCL can efficiently plasticize PVC and enhance the mechanical properties of the plastic. Thermal aging tests revealed that ELO-PCL can significantly improve the thermal stability of the plastic, enabling the plastic to maintain its low glass transition temperature, good mechanical properties and appearance after thermal aging. Moreover, the incorporation of ELO-PCL into PVC plastic effectively inhibited discoloration of the plastic during harsh surface chemical modification. To assess the potential of this plastic for the preparation of functionalized medical plastics, it was modified with polyethylene glycol and its anti-biofouling performance was evaluated. Additionally, comparative experiments were conducted to elucidate the relationship between the composition of ELO-PCL and the overall performance of the PVC plastics.