title: Effects of the addition of dimer acid alkyl esters on the properties of ethyl cellulose.
abstract: In this study, we synthesized dimer acid (DA) esters, having short to long alkyl chains, (DA-Cn) by the Diels-Alder reaction and subsequent esterification reaction of fatty acids that were prepared by the hydrolysis of waste vegetable oil. It was found that the DA-Cn were thermally more stable than common petroleum-based plasticizer DOP. When the DOP, DA, or DA-Cn with short alkyl chains were added to ethyl cellulose (EC), the optical clarity and SEM images of the samples showed their good miscibility with those additives in a micro-scale. It was also found that the rubbery modulus of the EC decreased with increasing amount of additives; the type of the additives did not affect the rates of the decrease in the rubbery modulus. The main transition temperatures of the EC containing either DA or DA-C1 or DA-C4 decreased with increasing amounts of those additives and were comparable to that of the DOP-containing EC. The above findings suggested that the DA and its esters with short alkyl chains could act as effective plasticizer and, thus, could be used instead of the DOP. In addition, the results obtained from tensile testing and leaching experiments implied that the DA might be better plasticizer than the DA-C1 and DA-C4, at least in some cases, because of hydrogen-bonding with the EC.
authors: White Biotechnology Research Group, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, 113 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea.
authors: Sangjun
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759, South Korea.
authors: Kwang-Hwan
authors: KH
authors: Ko
authors: White Biotechnology Research Group, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea.
authors: Jihoon
authors: J
authors: Shin
authors: White Biotechnology Research Group, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea.
authors: Nam-Kyun
authors: NK
authors: Kim
authors: White Biotechnology Research Group, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, 113 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea. Electronic address: ywkim@krict.re.kr.
authors: Young-Wun
authors: YW
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759, South Korea. Electronic address: joon@chosun.ac.kr.
authors: Joon-Seop
authors: JS
authors: Kim
keywords: Dimer acid esters; Ethyl cellulose; Plasticizer; Waste vegetable oil