ABSTRACT
Oxidation of organic materials is a major cause of irreversible deterioration for a large number of substances. It is responsible not only for the Joss of physical properties of plastics, rubbers, fibers, and other polymeric substrates, but also for rancidity of foodstuffs, deterioration of hydrocarbon lubricating oils, as well as biological ageing and is also implicated in some diseases. Inhibition of this oxidation process is, therefore, very important and the art of stabilization of organic materials against the effect of molecular oxygen has evolved over the past 90 years from an entirely empirical basis to a mature science-based technology, which is in place throughout the polymer industry. Almost all synthetic polymers require stabilization against the adverse effect of their processing, fabrication, storage, and the end use environment. The early intuitive trial-and-error approaches in the development of stabilizers are the roots to the current state-of-the-art stabilization technology of polymers.
