Synthesis of Polyether Ester Plasticizer and Its Application Performance in Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber

ABSTRACT Four polyether ester plasticizers containing both ester groups and ether bonds were synthesized using 1,4‐butanediol, adipic acid, and alkyl ether alcohols as raw materials. By varying the type of end‐capping alcohol ether, the following plasticizers were prepared: poly (butylene adipate dibutyl ether) (PBADBE), poly (butylene adipate butyl ether) (PBABE), poly (butylene adipate dimethyl ether) (PBADME), and poly (butylene adipate methyl ether) (PBAME). These plasticizers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H‐NMR), and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Furthermore, their differences in cold resistance, heat resistance, and physical‐mechanical properties in hydrogenated nitrile‐butadiene rubber (HNBR) were investigated. The results showed that among the rubber compounds containing the four polyether‐ester plasticizers, the compound with PBADME demonstrated superior heat resistance and low‐temperature performance. Specifically, the PBADME‐containing compound exhibited a TR 10 temperature of −39.9°C and a brittleness temperature of −54°C. This significantly broadened the operating temperature range of the plasticizer, making it suitable for applications requiring both high‐temperature and low‐temperature performance.