The Plasticizing Characteristics of Some N,N‐Dimethylamides and Ester‐Amides of Long‐Cham Fatty Acids

The N,N‐dimethylamides as well as a few N,N‐diethylamides of a number of saturated and un‐saturated long‐chain fatty acids and fatty acid mixtures have been prepared, characterized, and screened as plasticizers for poly (vinyl chloride‐vinyl acetate )copolymer. A number of ester‐amides of short‐chain 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐hydroxyacids were included. All except the N,N‐dimethylamides of stearic, palmitic, and epoxidized rapeseed fatty acids were compatible with the copolymer. Many of the N,N‐dimethylamides were highly efficient plasticizers and, except for the dimer acid deriva‐tive, were superior to di‐2‐ethylhexyl phthalate in this respect. A few of the dimethylamides were comparable with di‐2‐ethylhexyl adipate in low‐temperature performance. The N,N,N′,N′‐tetra‐methylamide of dimer acid exhibited no measur‐able volatility loss in copolymer compositions. 1So. Utiliz. Res. Dev. Div., ARS, DSDA.