The potential of flavonoids as natural antioxidants and UV light stabilizers for polypropylene

Abstract This article presents a study on the stabilization of polypropylene against thermo‐oxidation and UV radiation by using natural phenolic compounds derived from the structures of flavonoids: a flavone (chrysin), a flavanol (quercetin), two flavanone glycosides (hesperidin and naringin), and flavanoligand (silibinin). Thermal stabilization has been assessed in an oxidizing atmosphere by means of differential scanning calorimetry both in isothermal and in dynamic conditions. In addition, the effectiveness of these phenolic compounds as thermal stabilizers at high temperature has been quantified with the use of thermogravimetric analysis. Stabilization against UV radiation has been estimated by studying the morphology changes of the exposed surfaces by scanning electron microscope (SEM); also, surface chemical changes have been followed by infrared spectroscopy. Global results show that flavonoid compounds of type flavonols (quercetin and silibinin) provide the best results in stabilizing both against oxidation and against the action of UV radiation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013