Durability Without Residue: A New Generation of Antioxidants for Sustainable Plastics

Problem

Biopack (Belgium) using conventional low-molecular-weight antioxidants faced migration, volatilization, and long-term environmental persistence issues in plastics and elastomers. During processing and service life, these additives could leach out, reducing stabilization efficiency, contaminating adjacent materials, and raising regulatory and sustainability concerns-especially in packaging, agricultural films, medical products, and biodegradable plastics.

Solution

Biopack (Belgium) adopted BASF's Degradable Macromolecular Antioxidants, a new class of polymer-bound or high-molecular-weight antioxidants designed to provide effective stabilization during use while enabling controlled degradation at end of life. This solution delivered:

Strong resistance to migration and extraction
Long-term thermal and oxidative stabilization during service
Controlled molecular breakdown under composting, hydrolysis, or environmental conditions
Improved compatibility with biodegradable and bio-based polymers
Reduced long-term environmental residue compared with traditional antioxidants

By integrating antioxidant functionality into degradable macromolecular structures, Biopack (Belgium) balanced durability in use with sustainability after disposal.

Result

After implementation, Biopack (Belgium) achieved measurable improvements:

Antioxidant loss reduced by 40-60% during processing and aging
Mechanical property retention improved by 25-45% over product lifetime
Compliance with emerging environmental and microplastic regulations enhanced
Improved performance stability in biodegradable polymer systems

Overall, degradable macromolecular antioxidants enabled sustainable stabilization, lower additive migration, and improved lifecycle performance.

QY Research has recently published a comprehensive market study on Degradable Macromolecular Antioxidant. Key findings are summarized below.

Core Market Data

Global market size: USD 409 million
CAGR (2024-2030): 5.2%
Average price: USD 12000 per ton
Annual production: 34 kilotons
Gross margin: 38%
Production capacity: 45 kilotons

List of Main Players

BASF (public, Germany - FWB: BAS)
ADEKA (public, Japan - TYO: 4401)
Songwon (public, South Korea - KRX: 006040)
Clariant (public, Switzerland - SIX: CLN)
Evonik (public, Germany - FWB: EVK)
Everspring Chemical (public, Taiwan - TWSE: 1312)
Sumitomo Chemical (public, Japan - TYO: 4005)
Solvay (public, Belgium - Euronext: SOLB)
LANXESS (public, Germany - FWB: LXS)
Camlin Fine Sciences (public, India - NSE: CAMLINFINE)
Vinati Organics (public, India - NSE: VINATIORGA)
3V Sigma (private, Italy)
SI Group (private, USA)
Dover Chemical (private, USA)
Milliken & Company (private, USA)
Nouryon (private, Netherlands)
MFCI (private, China)
Ecochem (private, China)
Shanghai Chemdo (private, China)
RELYON New Material (private, China)
Guangzhou BestTop Chemicals (private, China)
Hebei Chuanghai Biotechnology (private, China)
Perfect Colourant Plastics (private, India)
Trigon Antioxidants (private, India)
Krishna Antioxidants (private, India)

1. By Molecular Design

Polymer-bound phenolic antioxidants
Oligomeric antioxidant structures
Cleavable macromolecular antioxidants

2. By Degradation Mechanism

Hydrolytic-degradable antioxidants
Photo-degradable antioxidants
Bio-degradable / enzyme-responsive antioxidants

3. By Application

Biodegradable Plastics & Packaging
Agricultural Films & Mulch
Medical & Disposable Products
Elastomers & Sustainable Rubber Compounds

Case Study for Bidding

Time: June 2024
Supplier: BASF
Buyer: Biopack (Belgium)
Product: Degradable Macromolecular Antioxidant (Hydrolytic-Cleavable Grade)
Quantity: 3,600 tons
Contract Value: USD 77.4 million
Delivery Timeline: February 2025

Detailed Application Scenario

The packaging manufacturer Biopack (Belgium) incorporated BASF's degradable macromolecular antioxidant into PLA- and PBAT-based film formulations. During processing and product use, the antioxidant delivered strong thermal and oxidative protection, maintaining tensile strength and clarity throughout shelf life.

After disposal under industrial composting conditions, the macromolecular structure gradually degraded, minimizing long-term residue and additive accumulation. Compared with traditional small-molecule antioxidants, the solution reduced migration, improved mechanical stability, and supported compliance with evolving sustainability regulations. This project highlights how degradable macromolecular antioxidants play a critical role in next-generation polymer stabilization, circular materials design, and environmentally responsible manufacturing.

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This release was published on openPR.