A plasticizer is a substance which is incorporated into a material to increase its flexibility, workability, and distensibility. They are a form of additive, and are typically added into plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard and clay bodies.
Plasticizer applications
When added to PVC, plasticizers help create products that are flexible and bendable. They also make PVC more durable, ensuring high performances for up to 50 years. Major end uses of these include film and sheeting, vinyl flooring, wires and cables, coated fabrics such as tarpaulins, and many more.
In concrete, plasticizers increases workability of freshly mixed concrete, making it softer to work with without increasing the water-cement ratio. This helps to maintain the strength of the concrete, as the higher the amount of water in fresh concrete, the weaker it will be.
Some plasticizers can also be used in rubber products, paints, inks, adhesives and sealants.
How they're made
Not all plasticizer manufacturing processes are the same. In general, plasticizers are produced by a reaction of an alcohol with an acid such as adipic acid, phthalic anhydride, and so forth. The choice acid and alcohol are typically heated at about 230 °, and a catalyst is added. The process is followed by distillation and filtration, where solids formed or added (diatomite earth and catalysts) are removed. Filtration is also part of the colour-reducing treatment process to create plasticizers that are colorless and odorless.
RTEC G Series Resin Bonded Filter Cartridge
The RTEC G Series is suited for the production of plasticizers as it features a microfiberglass/phenolic resin construction that produces an extremely rigid pore structure. This construction allows the filter to withstand extremes of viscosity and temperature without compression or collapse. In addition, a true graded density construction allows complete utilization of the filter’s depth, with coarse particles captured in the outer zones and finer particles captured nearer the core.
Features:
Glass fiber/phenolic resin depth filter cartridges
Available in 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 microns nominal
Lengths from 9.75 to 40"
Tin plated steel core provides extremely rigid structure that prevents unloading
Grooved outer surface for greater surface area
Broad chemical compatibility
Outer cotton wrap to aid in handling and protect the surface
Download the RTEC G Series data sheet here.
Contact us for a quotation.