Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB-V) has not been used for demanding technical applications yet due to its limited mechanical properties, particularly its high brittleness. An appropriate route to overcome these limitations is the implementation of plasticizers in the PHB-V matrix via compounding. In this paper the use of different types of fatty acids esters as PHB-V plasticizers were investigated. The study describes how the difference in the fatty acid esters structure (mainly fatty acid hydrocarbon chain length) affects their plasticizing effect and thus the PHB-V ductility performance. The best impact properties of PHB-V compounds were obtained for oleic acid methyl ester, palmitic acid methyl ester or lauric acid ethylene glycol monoester. The increase of notched impact strength from 1.4 (for neat polymer) to 4.0-4.1 kJ/m 2 was observed. At the same time stiffness and strength of the polymer decreased but remain on a level sufficient for technical applications. Additional drawback of PHB-V materials is increasing the brittleness over time. Moreover this study shows that the use of oleic acid ethylene glycol monoester or stearic acid ethylene glycol monoester as plasticizers significantly reduces the increase of the brittleness of PHB-V over time. It is relevant that this drawback of PHB-V materials can be significantly improved by plasticizer addition.

A series of amphiphilic 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ILs were synthesized. Their co-catalytic activities have been determined and discussed in terms of their structure and surface properties.

The plasticizers used in this study were synthesized from renewable raw materials using succinic acid, oleic acid, and propylene glycol. Four environmentally friendly plasticizer samples were obtained; their chemical structures and compositions were confirmed by gas chromatography (GC) and infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) analyses, and their physicochemical properties and thermal stability (TGA analysis) were investigated. The obtained ester mixtures were used as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plasticizers and their plasticization efficiency was determined in comparison to traditional, commercially available phthalate plasticizers, such as DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl phthalate) and DINP (diisononyl phthalate). Mechanical properties and migration resistance were determined for soft PVC with the use of three concentrations of plasticizers (40 PHR, 50 PHR, and 60 PHR). It was observed that the obtained plasticizers exhibited the same plasticization efficiency and were characterized with good mechanical and physical properties in comparison to commercial plasticizers. The tensile strength was approx. 19 MPa, while the elongation at break was approx. 250% for all tested plasticizers at a concentration of 50 PHR. Furthermore, plasticizer migration studies showed that the synthesized plasticizers had excellent resistance to plasticizer leaching. The best migration test result obtained was 70% lower than that for DEHP or DINP. The ester mixture that was found to be the most favorable plasticizer was characterized by good thermal and thermo-oxidative stability (5% weight loss temperature: 227.8 °C in air and 261.1 °C in nitrogen). The results of the research clearly indicate that the synthesized esters can provide a green alternative to toxic phthalate plasticizers.

Studies on the synthesis of esters of natural origin fatty acids (oleic acid) and a branched synthetic isostearic acid derived from oleic acid with commercially available selected higher polyols in the presence of homogeneous metallic catalysts have been carried out. The effects of the synthesis temperature, molar ratio and the catalysts amount have also been studied. It was shown that higher fatty acid conversion and selectivity to tri- and tetraesters were obtained for organotin catalyst Fascat 2003, which was used as the esterification catalyst. Anti-wear test confirmed good tribological properties of the obtained esters.