Abstract The biodegradable aliphatic oligoester oligo(trimethylene separate) (OTS) was synthesized by polycondensation and used to plasticize poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Casting films of PLA and PLA/OTS with concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt.% were prepared, and these films were characterized by thermal analyses, crystallinity, rheology and mechanical tests. DSC revealed the decrease in the Tg of PLA films with addition of the oligomer and a partial immiscibility. Addition of OTS to PLA slightly decrease the thermal stability as well as increase the degree of crystallinity of these films. Dynamic-mechanical analyses of casting films showed that the PLA/OTS system presented lower storage modulus than PLA and mechanical test revealed an increased in the elongation at break for PLA films containing the oligoester. The results make possible to conclude that the oligomer synthesized from bio-based monomers acts as a plasticizer of PLA increasing the PLA ductility.

Uma nova linha de borracha nitrílica pré-plastificada em óleo vegetal (Nitrigreen) com médio-alto teor de acrilonitrila (33%) foi especialmente desenvolvida pela empresa Nitriflex S/A Ind. Com., para suprir as necessidades do mercado de borracha. A Nitrigreen é um produto que está de acordo com a diretiva européia 2005/84/EC, pois utiliza um plastificante de fonte renovável. Esta borracha tem efeito superior na redução da viscosidade Mooney do composto formulado quando comprado com as borrachas pré-plastificadas com dioctil ftalato (DOP). Além da facilidade de processamento, a Nitrigreen tem compatibilidade com os aditivos de vulcanização, podendo ser utilizada em formulações de artefatos de baixa dureza, como brinquedos, cilindros gráficos e artigos técnicos. A nova borracha nitrílica pré-plastificada com 50 partes de plastificante vegetal reduz sensivelmente o tempo de vulcanização dos compostos, tem excelente processabilidade, baixo consumo de energia, facilidade na incorporação de aditivos, principalmente cargas reforçadoras como o negro de fumo, além de manter as propriedades mecânicas semelhantes à da borracha pré-plastificada com DOP.

New vegetable oil pre-plasticized rubbers (Nitrigreen) with 33% of acrilonitrile were especially developed by Nitriflex to supply the rubber market necessities. Nitrigreen complies with European regulation 2005/84/EC as it uses a plasticizer from renewable source. This rubber has superior effect in the Mooney viscosity reduction compared with usual plasticizer such as phthalates. In addition to the ease of processing, Nitigreen is compatible with vulcanization additives and may be used in low hardness products, including toys, cylinders and technical parts. This new pre-plasticized nitrile rubber with 50 phr of plasticizer has excellent processability, low consumption of energy, and facilitates incorporation of additives, especially reinforcing loadings such as carbon black. The mechanical properties of this rubber are slightly superior to those of a rubber containing DOP.