Fullerene C-60 as an antioxidant for polymers

The antioxidative activity of fullerene C-60 has been studied by model reaction of the initiated oxidation of cumene and also in accelerated tests of the mixtures with polystyrene and polydimethylsiloxane rubber. It was established that the initiation rate of the model oxidation is substantially reduced in the presence of C-60 The rate constant for the addition of cumyl radicals to C-60 was determined as k((333-353 K)) = (2.0 +/- 0.8).10(8) M-1 S-1. In accelerated tests fullerene showed a stabilizing effect comparable with the influence of the sterically-hindered phenol Irganox1076. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.