A series of new environment-friendly plasticizers was synthesized from castor oil and used to plasticize nitrile rubber (NBR). The test results showed that tensile strength, elongation at break, and tear strength of NBR vulcanizates plasticized by castor oil-based plasticizers were found to be better than that of dioctyl phthalate (DOP). The aging test taken demonstrated that the castor oil-based plasticizers could improve the hot air and oil aging resistance of NBR vulcanizates. The thermal stability test illustrated that castor oil-based plasticizers enhanced the thermal stability of NBR vulcanizates, and the initial decomposition temperatures (T) were about 100 °C higher than that of DOP. In general, the studies manifested that EACO and EBCO can replace DOP to plasticize NBR and are used in fields that require high mechanical properties, aging resistance, and thermal stability. This study emphasizes the effects of sustainable, cost-effective, and high-efficiency plasticizers on NBR.
