Citric ester mixtures and their use
The present invention relates to mixtures of citric esters of the formula I, in which each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an aliphatic C 5 or C 9 moiety, wherein the average chain length of the aliphatic moieties in the mixture is in the range from greater than 5 to 7, and the average degree of branching of the aliphatic C 9 moieties is in the range from 0.9 to 2.2. The present invention also relates to the use of the citric ester mixture as a plasticizer in plastics compositions.
1. A mixture of citric esters of the formula I,
in which each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an aliphatic C 5 or C 9 moiety,
wherein
the average chain length of the aliphatic moieties in the mixture is in the range of from greater than 5 to 7, and the average degree of branching of the aliphatic C 9 moieties is in the range of from 0.9 to 2.2.
2. The mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a mixture
of trinonyl and tripentyl citrates.
3. The mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 ,
wherein the average chain length of the aliphatic moieties is in the range of from 5.5 to 6.8.
4. The mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the C 5 moieties comprise at least 90% of n-pentyl and 3-methylbutyl moieties, based on the entirety of the C 5 moieties.
5. The mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the C 5 moieties comprise at least 70% of 3-methylbutyl moieties, based on the entirety of the C 5 moieties.
6. The mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the average degree of branching of the C 9 moieties is from 1.0 to 2.0.
7. A plasticizer composition comprising the mixture of citric esters according to claim 1 .
8. The plasticizer composition according to claim 7 , further comprising
at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of an alkyl ester of an aromatic polycarboxylic acid, an alkyl ester of a cyclohexanepolycarboxylic acid, an alkyl ester of benzoic acid, an alkyl ester of adipic acid, a dibenzoic ester of a diethylene glycol, a dibenzoic ester of a dipropylene glycol, a dibenzoic ester of a triethylene glycol, and a dibenzoic ester of a tripropylene glycol,
wherein the plasticizer composition contains from 15 to 90% by weight of the mixture of citric esters, the remainder to 100% by weight being the portions by weight of all the plasticizers.
9. A plastics composition, comprising the plasticizer composition according to claim 8 .
10. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
11. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polyalkyl methacrylate (PAMA).
12. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polyvinyl acetate (PVAc).
13. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polyvinyl butyral (PVB).
14. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polylactic acid (PLA).
15. A plastics composition according to claim 9 ,
comprising
polyhydroxybutyric acid (PHB).