Light stabilizers are a group of additives that have been developed to minimise or prevent the damage to plastics caused by exposure to the environmental parameters of light, heat and air. ADEKA Polymer Additives Europe offers a complete range of light stabilizers:
• Benzophenones
• Benzotriazoles
• Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers (HALS)
These light stabilizers provide protection from UV radiation by interfering with the physical and chemical processes of light-induced degradation according to different mechanisms.
Hindered amines show excellent UV protection by scavenging free radicals generated by photo degradation. When to use HALS or other light stabilizers depends on the processing requirements and demands of the end user. In some cases, combinations of light stabilizers have shown superior performance.
In general terms, stabilizers containing sterically hinderd amines, HALS are very efficient at scavenging free radicals and thus prevent these species from reacting and causing degradation of polymer chains.
Hindered amines show excellent UV protection by scavenging free radicals generated by photo degradation. When to use HALS or other light stabilizers depends on the processing requirements and demands of the end user. In some cases, combinations of light stabilizers have shown superior performance.
The benzophenone and benzotriazole based products are termed UV Absorbers and stabilize by 1.) preferential absorbtion of UV light and 2.) dissipating this harmful energy in a safe manner via stabilized excited states. By this mode of action these sophisticated molecules protect plastic products during their useful lifetime.
