Classification of liquid and liquefied ingredients in the production of plastoelastic composite materials
Keywords:
PP, EPDM, DEHP, plasticizer, thermoplastic vulcanizate, plastoelastomeric composite, phase inversion, morphology, migration, dynamic vulcanizationAbstract
This article presents a functional classification of ingredients involved in the production of plastoelastomeric composites in the liquid or molten state. The analysis focuses on polypropylene (PP), ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (EPDM), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). The study aims to establish scientifically grounded criteria for classifying the components of PP/EPDM-based thermoplastic vulcanizates, including low-molecular-weight mobile additives, and to elucidate the relationships among their processing functions, phase localization, effects on morphology development, and migration risk. The analysis indicates that molten PP forms a continuous thermoplastic matrix, whereas EPDM constitutes a dispersed elastomeric phase that undergoes selective vulcanization. DEHP acts as a low-molecular-weight mobile plasticizer, reducing viscosity and imparting a softening effect while increasing the risk of migration and exudation. The discussion highlights the value of evaluating ingredients not only by their chemical nature but also by their mobility, preferential affinity for the interface, and influence on the structure–property relationships of the final material
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