The Effect of Accelerated UV Aging on the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Leather with Palm Olein-based Epoxy Plasticizer

This study investigates the use of palm olein-based epoxy as a sustainable plasticizer for synthetic leather, with a focus on its durability under ultraviolet (UV) aging conditions. The research aimed to evaluate how incorporating palm olein-based epoxy influences the mechanical properties of synthetic leather compared to conventional petroleum- based plasticizers. A completely randomized design was employed, with three treatment groups (Control, ST1.5, and ST0.75), each tested in triplicate. Synthetic leather samples were plasticized with palm olein-based epoxy, and mechanical performance was assessed. As a benchmark, 2,2,4-Trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TXIB), a commonly used petroleum-based plasticizer, was included for comparison. The results demonstrated that palm olein-based epoxy significantly improved tear strength and vertical elongation, indicating its effectiveness as a plasticizer for polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based synthetic leather. After UV aging equivalent to 30 months, samples containing olein-based epoxy showed greater plasticizer migration than the control, but demonstrated higher final tear strength. Given its renewable origin and raw material availability, palm olein-based epoxy shows significant potential for further development as a sustainable alternative to conventional plasticizers.