A Complete Guide to 10 Primary Antioxidants for Polyurethane

Antioxidants are primarily used to prevent the thermal and oxidative degradation of polyurethane. Based on their mechanism of action, these stabilizers are classified into free-radical chain scavengers and peroxide decomposers. Free-radical chain scavengers include hindered phenols and aromatic secondary amines, which are classified as primary antioxidants.

Antioxidant 245

Antioxidant 245 Properties:

Antioxidant 245 Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 245 is a hindered phenolic antioxidant that prevents thermal-oxidative degradation of materials during synthesis, processing, and end-use applications.
• It is odorless, has low volatility, and offers excellent color stability and extraction resistance.
• This antioxidant features good compatibility with polymers and high thermal-oxidative resistance, making it suitable for high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), ABS resin, AS resin, MBS resin, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyamide, polyurethane, hydroxylated styrene-butadiene rubber, and styrene-butadiene latex. It also acts as a chain terminator in PVC polymerization (0.02%–0.05%). In the polyurethane sector, it is used in RIM, TPU, spandex, polyurethane adhesives, sealants, and other products.
• It can be used in combination with auxiliary stabilizers (such as thioesters, phosphites, phosphonites, and lactones), light stabilizers, and other functional stabilizers. The typical dosage range is 0.03%–1%, and a general dosage of 0.05%–0.1% provides long-term thermal stability. For TPU applications, the recommended dosage is 0.1%–0.5%.

Antioxidant 1010

Antioxidant 1010 Properties:

Antioxidant 1010 Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 1010 is a high-molecular-weight, hindered phenolic antioxidant that exhibits very low volatility. It is resistant to migration and extraction. It effectively prevents the thermal oxidative degradation of polymer materials during long-term aging and also serves as an efficient processing stabilizer, improving their resistance to discoloration under high-temperature processing conditions. However, its resistance to discoloration and exhaust gas is inferior to that of Antioxidant 245.
• It can be used as the primary antioxidant in polyolefins, polyformaldehyde, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ABS, and other materials. In the polyurethane sector, it is suitable for RIM materials, spandex, TPU, adhesives, and sealants. It can be used in combination with auxiliary stabilizers (such as sulfides and phosphites) and light stabilizers; for example, it works very well when used with Stabilizer 168. A dosage of 0.05% to 0.1% in polymers generally provides long-term thermal stability, but depending on specific requirements, the dosage can be as high as several percent. In hot-melt adhesives, the dosage range is 0.2% to 1%.

Antioxidant 1035

Antioxidant 1035 Properties:

Antioxidant 1035 Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 1035 is a sulfur-containing hindered phenolic antioxidant and thermal stabilizer. It offers excellent processing stability and long-term thermal stability. It is primarily used in polyethylene wires and cables, polypropylene, high-impact polystyrene, ABS resin, PVA, polyol/polyurethane flexible foam, elastomers, and other applications.
• When combined with hindered amine antioxidants such as Antioxidant 5057, Antioxidant 1035 can prevent core burning in flexible polyurethane foam and is used as a substitute for BHT. The recommended dosage of the Antioxidant 1035/Antioxidant 5057 mixture in flexible foam polyols is 0.2%–0.3%/0.2%–0.3%.

Antioxidant 1076

Antioxidant 1076 Properties:

Antioxidant 1076 Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 1076 is a powerful type of antioxidant that is commonly used to protect materials like polyethylene, polypropylene, polyformaldehyde, ABS resin, PS resin, PVC, polyurethane, engineering plastics, adhesives, rubber It is suitable for use with isocyanates. In the polyurethane sector, it can be used in flexible foams, TPU, and spandex.
• It can be added before or after polymerization, or during the final use stage of the product. It can be used in combination with other additives such as stabilizing agents (sulfates, phosphites, etc.), light stabilizers, and other functional stabilizers. It exhibits good synergistic effects when used in combination with antioxidant 168, or with antioxidant 168 and the lactone-type co-antioxidant HP-136.

Antioxidant1098

Antioxidant1098 Properties:

Antioxidant 1098: Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 1098 is a hindered phenolic antioxidant. It is particularly suitable for stabilizing polyamide products (nylon), fibers, and films and is also used in other polymers, such as polyformaldehyde, polyester, polyurethane, adhesives, elastomers, and other organic materials. The recommended usage range is 0.05% to 0.5%. It has low volatility, imparting excellent heat stability, long-term thermal stability, and initial color retention to the resin.
• In the polyurethane sector, Antioxidant 1098 can be used in TPU, adhesives, and other applications. It can be used in combination with co-stabilizers such as phosphite esters, thioesters, hydroxylamines, and lactones, as well as light stabilizers such as UV absorbers and hindered amines, and other stabilizers, exhibiting good synergistic effects.

Antioxidant 1135

Antioxidant 1135 Properties:

Antioxidant 1135 Characteristics and Uses

• Antioxidant 1135 is a liquid hindered phenolic antioxidant. It is a high-performance antioxidant that is easy to use. Due to its low volatility and excellent compatibility, it is primarily used in polyols, polyurethanes, and other polymers. It can be used in isocyanate components. In flexible polyurethane foams, Antioxidant 1135 inhibits the formation of peroxides during the storage of polyether polyols and prevents core burning during foaming. It is particularly suitable for the air-cooling process of block foams and prevents smoke generation in automotive foams as well as staining in fabric composites. It can be added before, during, or after the polymerization reaction.
• In the polyurethane sector, it is also used in TPU, RIM materials, sealants, water-based polyurethanes, and other applications. When used in water-based polyurethane systems, it is easily emulsified.

Antioxidant 1330

Antioxidant 1330 Properties:

Antioxidant 1330 Characteristics and Uses

Antioxidant 1330 is a high-molecular-weight phenolic antioxidant suitable for use in elastomers, hot melt adhesives, tackifiers, engineering resin blends, and many other fields. It can be applied in polyolefins, engineering plastics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethanes, and more. It exhibits good compatibility with many substrates, excellent extraction resistance, and good color stability. It can be used in combination with auxiliary stabilizers such as thioethers and phosphites, as well as light stabilizers. Excellent synergistic effects are achieved when Antioxidant 1330 is used together with Antioxidant 168.

Antioxidant 3114

Antioxidant 3114 Properties:

Antioxidant 3114 Characteristics and Uses

A high-molecular-weight, high-melting-point, low-volatility, trifunctional hindered phenolic antioxidant suitable for use in polyolefins, polyesters, polyurethanes (fibers, TPU, elastomers), nylon, and other materials.

Antioxidant 1024

Antioxidant 1024 Properties：

Antioxidant 1024 Characteristics and Uses

Antioxidant 1024 is a metal passivator and phenolic antioxidant. It is primarily used in polymers that come into contact with copper and can be applied in TPU cable resins and RIM polyurethanes. The recommended usage range is 0.1% to 0.2%. It can be used alone or in combination with Antioxidant 1010 or other phenolic antioxidants.

Antioxidant 5057

Antioxidant 5057 Properties:

Antioxidant 5057 Characteristics and Uses

This is a class of low-volatility, liquid, highly effective aromatic secondary amine antioxidants used in many polymers, including polyols and polyurethanes. Even at low concentrations, they prevent the thermal degradation of polymers. They are typically used in combination with hindered phenolic antioxidants (such as Antioxidant 1135), phosphite esters, and light stabilizers, producing excellent synergistic effects. It is recommended for preventing core burning in polyurethane foam production. Adding this antioxidant to polyols can prevent core burning during the production of flexible polyurethane foam. Furthermore, adding this antioxidant to polyols helps prevent oxidation during storage and transportation. The typical usage range is 0.1% to 0.4%.