The role of external plasticisers is to increase the softness, flexibility and distensibility of polymer systems, particularly PVC. Additional effects such as the reduction of melt viscosity may be of prime importance in some cases. This report considers the whole subject of external plasticisers for polymers, with a review covering the following topics:

Function, mechanism and performance criteria; The range of plasticiser types; Specialised plasticiser requirements in selected PVC applications; The use of plasticisers in polymers other than PVC, including rubbers; Current health and safety issues.

The report is completed by an extensive indexed References and Abstracts section, compiled from the Polymer Library, which provides much experimental data, and an overview of recent academic research.