Plasticizer compositions and methods for making plasticizer compositions

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a plasticizer composition, polymeric compositions containing the plasticizer composition, and conductors coated with the polymeric composition. The plasticizer composition includes a first plasticizer comprising epoxidized fatty acid alkyl esters and a second plasticizer comprising an epoxidized natural oil. The plasticizer composition, first plasticizer, and/or second plasticizer can undergo one or more color-reducing treatment processes, such as distillation, filtration, and/or peroxide treatment.

1 . A plasticizer composition comprising:
 a first plasticizer comprising epoxidized fatty acid alkyl esters; and   a second plasticizer comprising an epoxidized natural oil,   wherein said first plasticizer comprises fatty acid dimers in a concentration of less than 0.1 weight percent based on the entire weight of said first plasticizer.   
     
     
         2 . The plasticizer composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said epoxidized fatty acid alkyl esters are methyl esters, wherein said epoxidized natural oil is an epoxidized soybean oil. 
     
     
         3 . The plasticizer composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first plasticizer has a concentration of said fatty acid dimers of less than 0.02 weight percent based on the entire weight of said first plasticizer. 
     
     
         4 . The plasticizer composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second plasticizer are present in a first plasticizer-to-second plasticizer weight ratio in the range of from 10:90 to 90:10. 
     
     
         5 . The plasticizer composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first plasticizer has an APHA value of less than 100 upon heat aging at 190° C. for 60 minutes. 
     
     
         6 . A polymeric composition comprising a polymeric resin and said plasticizer composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The polymeric composition of  claim 6 , wherein said polymeric resin is polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         8 . A method for producing a treated plasticizer, said method comprising:
 (a) combining a first plasticizer and a second plasticizer to thereby form a plasticizer composition, wherein said first plasticizer comprises epoxidized fatty acid alkyl esters, wherein said second plasticizer comprises an epoxidized natural oil; and   (b) subjecting said first plasticizer, said second plasticizer, and/or said plasticizer composition to one or more color-reducing treatment processes to thereby produce said treated plasticizer,   
       wherein said color-reducing treatment process is selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) contacting at least a portion of said first plasticizer, said second plasticizer, and/or said plasticizer composition with a peroxide; 
 (ii) filtering at least a portion of said first plasticizer, said second plasticizer, and/or said plasticizer composition; 
 (iii) distilling at least a portion of said first plasticizer prior to said combining of step (a); and 
 (iv) mixtures of two or more thereof. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said epoxidized fatty acid alkyl esters are epoxidized fatty acid methyl esters, wherein said epoxidized natural oil is an epoxidized soybean oil. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said color-reducing treatment process comprises process (i), wherein said peroxide is hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said color-reducing treatment process comprises process (ii), wherein said filtering is performed by passing at least a portion of said first plasticizer, said second plasticizer, and/or said plasticizer composition through a filter media selected from the group consisting of synthetic magnesium silicate, bleaching clay, montmorillonite clay, fuller's earth clay, activated alumina, perlite, and mixtures of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said color-reducing treatment process comprises process (iii), wherein said distillation is performed at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 180° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first plasticizer has an APHA value of less than 100 upon heat aging at 190° C. for 60 minutes following said color-reducing treatment process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said plasticizer composition has an APHA value that is less than the APHA value of an identical reference plasticizer composition that has not undergone any of said color-reducing treatment processes of step (b) upon heat aging both said plasticizer composition and said reference plasticizer composition at 190° C. for 60 minutes.