Flavonoids as Natural Stabilizers and Color Indicators of Ageing for Polymeric Materials

Few changes have occurred in the use of various stabilizers over recent years. In the current literature, phosphate derivatives are used as anti-ageing additives in polymers, and the most popular of these are sterically hindering cyclic amines. However, most of these compounds are carcinogenic. Synthetic phenols have been increasingly used as antioxidants in food and in polymers. Ecological standards encourage the elimination of harmful additives in polymeric products that come in contact with food or with the human body. This article presents application of flavonoid (silymarin/flavonoligand) for polymer stabilization and use of natural phytocompounds such as color indicators of polymers ageing time. In this research, I propose two ways of application: traditional, during processing; and the new one, by using impregnation method. Based on the change of deformation energy (ageing coefficient K), FTIR, oxidative induction time (OIT) evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (OIT), thermogravimetry analysis (TG), spectrophotometric color measurements in terms of CIE-Lab color space values, I confirmed the high antioxidant activity of flavonoids in EPM. They provide coloration of the polymeric materials that changes cyclically as a function of aging time. Additionally, the use of phytocompounds in polymers provides similar stabilizing effect to those of synthetic antioxidants.