AbstractA new class of complex esters offers the capability for tailoring lubrication characteristics to specific PVC applications. The lubricating performance of these esters can be varied from internal to external through changes in carboxylic chain length, polyol moiety, and degree of esterification. Changes in the degree of functionality of the polyol portion of the ester can be used to affect large variations in fusion time and mill stick time. Polyol functionality may also be used to control extrudate gloss without changes in other processing parameters. Dynamic stability is relatively independent of polyol type, with all of the esters providing excellent stability behavior. Carboxylic acid chain length has a pronounced effect on external lubricity, as demonstrated by large changes in mill stick time. Esters based on stearic or longer chain acids provide optimum extrusion processability and yield high gloss extrudates at low extrusion torques. Dynamic thermal stability also increases with acid chain length. The effect of degree of esterifications on lubrication is dependent upon the polyol portion of the ester. In low hydroxyl value esters, the degree of esterification can be used to vary external lubricity.