The energy transition toward renewables like offshore wind and solar power demands infrastructure with extreme durability in harsh environments. The longevity of these assets is critical for their lifecycle carbon footprint and economic viability. A significant vulnerability lies in the protective polymer coatings, which often rely on phthalate plasticizers. These additives can leach out, causing coating embrittlement and releasing pollutants. This study presents novel, non-plasticizers based on dicarboxylic acid esters, designed to create next-generation PVC coatings that enhance the durability and environmental sustainability of renewable energy infrastructure. The esters were synthesized via esterification of adipic, azelaic acids with ethoxylated alcohols (butoxyethanol, phenoxyethanol). PVC compositions were prepared with 100 wt.h. PVC, and 50 wt.h. of plasticizer (1:1 blend of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and the ester). Performance properties were evaluated: migration resistance, water absorption, thermal stability at 185°C, and UV stability via 1000-hour exposure at 65°C (ΔE color change). The binary systems demonstrated a significant synergistic improvement over pure DOP. Migration resistance increased by a factor of 2-3, with the DOP + Diphenoxyethyladipate blend showing the lowest migration (0.18% vs. 0.50% for DOP). Water absorption for butoxyethyl ester blends was as low as 0.26%. Thermal stability time reached up to 150 minutes (DOP + Dibutoxyethylazelate). Рhenoxyethyl-based esters provided superior UV stability, with ΔE values of 10.76-13.67 versus >20 for butoxyethyl analogs and 25 for pure DOP, indicating effective protection against photo-degradation. Тhe binary system based on DOP and diphenoxyethyladipate represents a ready-made innovative solution for creating durable, environmentally friendly protective coatings in the wind and solar energy industries. High migration resistance guarantees the durability of the coating and the absence of environmental pollution, which is critical for offshore installations. Excellent UV stability (ΔE ~11) provides protection from solar radiation, and improved thermal stability (150 min) increases reliability under operational heating conditions.
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Next-Generation eco-friendly plasticizers for energy-efficient and durable polymer coatings in offshore wind and solar energy
Published:
22 June 2026
by MDPI
in The 1st International Online Conference on Inventions
session Energy transition, decarbonization and environmental policy
Abstract:
Keywords: Offshore energy; green technology; protective polymer coatings; aging resistance; plasticizers; dicarboxylic acid esters; lifecycle assessment; decarbonization
