Plasticizer Product Portfolio

There has been a need for plasticizers ever since PVC (polyvinylchloride) was patented in 1913. In its unmodified state, PVC is rigid and brittle. Plasticizers are used to make the material soft and flexible.

BASF has been a leader in the market for plasticizers and raw materials throughout the history of flexible PVC. BASF developed the first manufacturing process for phthalic anhydride, is a global technology leader for Oxo alcohols, and in this new millennium has had commercial successes in the global introduction of Palatinol^® DPHP and Hexamoll^® DINCH. In North America we are responding to market changes and customer needs by offering Palatinol^® DOTP.

But one size does not fit all. Today, soft PVC is used in a wide range of applications and industries, from high performance industrial cables to extremely sensitive medical devices. Some plasticized PVC applications need to withstand extreme temperatures; others have to be highly resistant to physical and environmental stress. Some products are especially designed for close human contact applications such as children’s toys and blood storage bags.