Immobilization of antioxidants via ADMET polymerization for enhanced long-term stabilization of polyolefins

•Sterically hindered phenols were coupled to α,ω-dienes from renewable ressources.•Resulting monomeric antioxidants (AOs) were polymerized via the ADMET-mechanism.•Macromolecular antioxidants showed competitive stabilization of polypropylene.•Antioxidant activity was characterized by oxidation induction time.•Enhanced long term stabilization is expected from these high-molecular weight AOs.

Novel macromolecular antioxidants with multiple hindered phenolic antioxidant moieties along a linear, unsaturated olefinic backbone are prepared and their antioxidative ability in polypropylene (PP) blends is investigated. Firstly, α,ω-diene monomers bearing one alcohol functionality are prepared from 10-undecenoic acid, sourced from the renewable resource castor oil, and are subsequently coupled to hindered phenolic antioxidants to prepare antioxidant bearing α,ω-diene monomers. The preparation of macromolecular antioxidants is then described, via ADMET polymerization of the hindered phenol bearing monomers. Upon blending with polypropylene, the resultant blends show excellent antioxidative stabilization in comparison to commercially available antioxidants and thus represent promising additives for the long-term stabilization of polyolefins in extreme environments, for example in the construction of solar water heating systems.

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