Plasticizer transfer from plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) sheets to petroleum oils

Plasticizer migration from poly(vinyl chloride) remains a critical problem due to the high consumption of this polymer in a flexible form. The systems poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/labeled dioctyl phthalate (DOP)/white spirit, kerosene, white oil, or lubricating oil have been considered in this article. Migration experiments were carried out at three different temperatures (30, 50, and 70°C) for extremely prolonged periods of time. At the initial stages the data collected fit well to short‐term Fickian behavior. The respective diffusion coefficients increase with temperature, conforming also to an Arrhenius form, but the eventually obtained migration values seem to pass through a minimum in the case of the lighter oils.