Modified TDAE petroleum plasticiser

Abstract

Petroleum plasticisers are applied as softening additives in rubber vulcanisation processes and as components of rubber mixtures in the production and vulcanisation process. They contain polycyclic aromatic compounds exhibiting carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. Since 2010, the European Union has banned the use of high-aromatic DAE plasticisers. The petroleum industry and tyre manufacturers are developing new types of petroleum plasticisers. The best alternative to the DAE is the TDAE plasticisers, obtained mainly by selective solvent refining. The solvent dewaxing process of classic TDAE plasticisers was studied in order to improve the chemical composition as well as the rheological and low-temperature properties of deparafinate. This article presents the results of an examination of the TDAE plasticiser samples subjected to solvent dewaxing process on a laboratory scale with three types of solvents, MEK-TOL, MEK-MIBK and MEK-MTBE. It was demonstrated that solvent dewaxing of the TDAE plasticiser with positive pour points maintains good process selectivity and allows for a significant reduction of the plasticiser pour point, thus improving the rheological and low-temperature properties. In all dewaxing attempts, the pour point in the deparaffinate decreased significantly to the range -12 to -22°C, compared to the positive pour points of the raw materials. The application tests for two types of the TDAE plasticisers, used to produce oiled rubber and a standard rubber compound, meet the quality requirements for those products.