Identification of Some New Generation Additives for Polymers Obtained in the Catalytic Hydrogenation Process

The identification of new generation additives such as plasticizers and hardeners applied mainly to some polymers and resins and obtained in the catalytic hydrogenation processes is presented. The new plasticizers di(n‐ and isononyl)cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylates (DINCH) were obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of the planar aromatic rings of the mixture of di(alkyl(C9))phthalates in the presence of the modified Ni catalyst. They may be used as a substitute for improving the flexibility of polymers, such as PVC, and also for strongly reducing the toxic effects on human health of the 1,2‐di(alkyl)phthalates, which is easily released from the polymer to the environment. The identification of these types of compounds by GC/MS enables to determine the structures of the main products such as cis and trans isomers of the cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylates. GC/MS may be applied to the identification of some DINCH constituents extracted from polymers. Also, the analysis of these compounds by ESI/MS gives information about their mass fragmentation and enables their detection, although without differentiation between individual cis and trans isomers.