ADDITIVES | ANTIOXIDANTS AND STABILISERS
Chiguard R455 is chemically incorporated into the TPU polymer chain, providing permanent UV protection that reduces colour change, protects UV-sensitive pigments, and helps preserve surface integrity during accelerated weathering
Source: Chitec Technology
405 nm to help extend the shelf life of light-sensi- tive beverages, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and food products. Gacek added that this benefit is particularly valuable for smaller PET bottles, which often have thinner walls and greater UV exposure per unit of product. The additive can also be used in PET films for packaging, window films, industrial laminates, and electronic display applications. Its thermal stability supports processing temperatures exceeding 300° C. For polycarbonate optical lenses and optical
sheet, GA403 offers photo-permanence, maintain- ing long-term UV filtering performance under prolonged exposure, said Gacek. UV coverage of this additive extends to approximately 412 nm at the edge of the visible spectrum, providing additional protection into the violet/blue-light region.
TPU protection Another growing area needing UV stabilisers is in thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) in outdoor applications, including paint protection films, automotive wrap films, textile fibres, transparent films, footwear, and consumer products, said Gacek. Chitec’s patented solution for TPU is Chiguard
R455, a copolymerisable benzotriazole UV absorb- er containing reactive diol functionality that becomes chemically incorporated into the polymer backbone during TPU synthesis. As a result, it provides permanent UV protection throughout the service life of the material and minimises additive migration. The copolymerisable UV absorber significantly
56 COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2026
improves weatherability in aromatic TPUs, com- pared to conventional UV absorbers. “Accelerated weathering studies demonstrate that R455 substan- tially reduces yellowing, enabling aromatic TPU formulations to achieve weatherability approaching that of aliphatic TPU while retaining the mechanical properties, processing advantages, and cost-effec- tiveness that make aromatic systems attractive for many applications,” reported Gacek. He added that the permanent nature of a copolymerised stabiliser also benefits aliphatic TPU, where it protects both the TPU matrix and UV-sensitive pigments to provide long-term appearance, transparency, and colour retention. “This enables formulators to use pigments with poor colourfastness – including fluorescent and neon colours that would otherwise fade rapidly under outdoor exposure – while maintaining colour vibrancy and extending product service life,” explained Gacek. A new multifunctional processing stabiliser from
Chitec, Revonox 501, is based on a redesigned benzofuranone molecular architecture that has higher thermal stability than earlier benzofuranone technologies, said Gacek. “During extrusion, Revonox 501 rapidly scavenges carbon-centered radicals before significant degradation occurs, helping preserve polymer molecular weight and maintain consistent processing performance,” he said. The stabilizer can be used to replace a small
portion of traditional primary and secondary antioxidants. In addition, because less oxidative
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