What does plasticiser mean?
A plasticiser is a substance incorporated into a plastic to make it softer, more flexible, or easier to shape and process. The term is particularly associated with polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which is naturally rigid but becomes pliable when mixed with suitable plasticisers. The resulting material is widely used in cable coverings, floor coverings, window profiles, medical tubing, and flexible packaging. Plasticisers may also be used in adhesives, sealants, coatings, and printing inks. Their effectiveness and safety can depend on the polymer and the specific compound used, so plastics standards and regulations often address plasticiser types, concentrations, and migration into food or other materials. In British English, “plasticiser” is the conventional spelling, while “plasticizer” is generally used in American English.
nounA substance added to a plastic to make it softer, more flexible, or easier to process. Plasticisers are especially important in products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
- A substance added to a plastic to soften it, increase its flexibility, or facilitate processing.
"The manufacturer added a plasticiser to the vinyl so that it would remain flexible at low temperatures."
"A flexible PVC cable sheath may contain a plasticiser to prevent it from becoming brittle."
"Food-contact regulations place limits on the types and amounts of plasticisers permitted in certain packaging materials."
The standard British plural is “plasticisers”; the US spelling has the plural “plasticizers.”
"Formulators tested several plasticisers to find one that met the required flexibility and migration standards."
Flexible PVC owes much of its bendability to plasticisers—the additives that turn a rigid polymer into a supple material.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plasticiser come from?
The word combines “plastic,” ultimately derived from Greek plastikos, meaning “moulded” or “fit for moulding,” with the suffix “-ize” and the agent-forming suffix “-er.” Its development reflects the industrial practice of adding a separate substance to a polymer to alter its physical properties. Related English words include “plasticity,” “plastically,” and “plastify.”
Related word forms
How plasticiser is actually used
Primarily a technical term in plastics, coatings, printing inks, adhesives, and related manufacturing. It is more common in British English, where plasticiser is the standard spelling; American English normally uses plasticizer.
Easily confused with plasticiser
Plasticizer and plasticiser refer to the same substance, but plasticizer is the usual spelling in American English while plasticiser is standard in British English.