Bio-based additives as renewable alternatives for polyvinylchloride formulations and application in paper coatings

A series of bio-based additives derived from citric acid as a renewable chemical source were synthesised. The chemical composition and purity of 1–4 were confirmed by the combination of NMR, FTIR and MS. The thermal behaviour, stability and degradation pattern of the compounds 1–4 were investigated by TGA and DSC methods. PVC based formulations with compounds 1–4 were prepared through a simple mixing method. The formulations were treated at different temperatures (130–210 °C) to investigate the potential of these materials in industrial curing settings. L*a*b* data were used to monitor and to assess a colour change in the coated paper samples; this showed a correlation with degradation data of the pure compounds 1–4. SEM analysis of the final paper samples indicated that the compounds 1–4 show gas formation within the cellular structure; however compounds 3 and 4 result in a glossy smooth surface. This study showed that the compounds 3 and 4 exhibit promising properties in PVC formulations for application in industrial settings.