Preparation and characterization of zinc-mannitol complexes as PVC thermal stabilizers with high efficiency

A series of zinc oxide-mannitol complexes (Zn-Ma complexes) with different zinc contents were prepared, and the composition of Zn-Ma complexes was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The components of Zn-Ma complexes were separated by Soxhlet extraction and characterized by FT-IR. Dependence of the reaction extent on time at different temperature was investigated in order to optimize the preparation technology. The thermal stability of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) with Zn-Ma complexes was investigated by Congo red tests. The results showed that Zn-Ma complexes could significantly improve the thermal stability of PVC. The thermal stabilization mechanism and synergism effect of Zn-Ma complexes were also discussed.