Antioxidants have a variety of uses in the industry. Antioxidants are added to polymers such as rubbers, plastics and adhesives to prevent their oxidative damage and loss of strength and flexibility.
Types of Antioxidants:
Fuel antioxidants are classified into two major groups by their mechanism: The first type is the primary antioxidants which mop up and react with the free radicals during the propagation phase. These are typically aromatic amines and hindered phenolics.
Secondary antioxidants interact with reactive peroxides, including phosphites and some sulfur-rich compounds like thioesters and thioethers. These types of antioxidants perform different functions to mitigate oxidation and are responsible for terminating the cycle to prevent further propagation.
In most cases, petroleum products will use both the primary and secondary antioxidant additives to optimise the performance of the lubricant and promote oxidative stability. Thus, obtaining the right combination of oxidants is always vital to the lubricant’s functioning.
