Chemists at Samara State Technical University (SamSTU) have developed and patented a new method for producing phenolic antioxidants — additives that slow down the aging of polymers under the influence of oxygen, heat, and light. As TASS was informed in the press service of the university, the method is based on a melt transesterification reaction between 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and dibasic carboxylic acids in the presence of a catalyst.
Phenolic antioxidants interrupt the radical chain oxidation of the polymer's carbon chain, preventing its accelerated degradation. The raw material component — substituted benzyl alcohol — is obtained using a previously patented method in the polytechnic. This allows closing the technological chain on domestic reagents and abandoning the import of similar additives, which are critical for manufacturers of polyolefins, synthetic rubbers, and other large-tonnage polymers.
The introduction of the technology into industry will make it possible to improve the quality and durability of finished products — from pipes and packaging to car tires and cable insulation. For the petrochemical sector, where dependence on foreign stabilizers remains high, the development closes one of the niches sensitive to sanctions restrictions on the supply of specialty chemicals.