1. the process of making a material plastic or more flexible by adding a plasticizer or applying heat and pressure
Usage: commonly used in materials science and polymer chemistry
2. the state or condition of being plasticized; the quality of having become plastic or flexible

Examples

• The plasticization of PVC requires the addition of dibutyl phthalate to improve its flexibility.
• Heat-induced plasticization allows the polymer to be molded into different shapes.
• The degree of plasticization affects the material's durability and performance.
• Engineers studied the plasticization process to create more flexible rubber compounds.
• Plasticization of the resin made it easier to work with during manufacturing.
• The plasticization of the polymer film reduced its brittleness significantly.