what is dop?

DOP is the abbreviation of Dioctyl Phthalate, which is a common type of phthalate plasticizer. It is one of the most widely used plasticizers in the chemical industry, with the following core characteristics and applications:

1. Basic Properties

Chemical Structure: Its chemical formula is C24H38O4, and it is an ester compound formed by the esterification of phthalic anhydride and 2-ethylhexanol.
Physical State: It is a colorless, transparent, oily liquid at room temperature, with slight odor, low volatility, and good compatibility with most polymers.
Solubility: Insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, ether, and benzene, and can be miscible with most resins in any proportion.

2. Main Applications

DOP is a typical general-purpose plasticizer with excellent plasticizing performance, and its main application scenarios are:

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Products: It is the most important plasticizer for PVC, used to make soft PVC products, such as plastic films, artificial leather, wire and cable sheaths, hoses, toys, and daily necessities. Adding DOP can improve the flexibility, ductility and processability of PVC.
Other Polymers: It can also be used as a plasticizer for synthetic rubber, cellulose resin and other materials to adjust the hardness and toughness of products.

3. Safety and Regulatory Notes

In recent years, DOP has attracted wide attention due to its potential environmental and health risks:

Toxicity Risk: It is classified as an endocrine disruptor, which may interfere with the body’s hormone balance, and long-term exposure may have adverse effects on reproductive and developmental health.
Regulatory Restrictions: Many countries and regions have imposed strict restrictions on the use of DOP in products that are in contact with food, toys for children, and medical devices. For example, the EU’s REACH regulation restricts the content of DOP in toys, and it is gradually replaced by safer alternative plasticizers (such as DOTP, DINCH, etc.).

4. Alternatives

With the strengthening of environmental protection and safety regulations, the market demand for DOP is gradually shrinking, and common green alternatives include:

DOTP (Dioctyl Terephthalate): It has similar plasticizing performance to DOP, but with better environmental safety, and is widely used in food packaging and toy fields.
DINCH (Cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester): It is a non-phthalate plasticizer with low toxicity and is suitable for medical and food contact materials.