Range of Metal Deactivators for Wire & Cable Applications
by John Mara, Amfine Chemical Corporation
Auto-oxidation reactions in plastics are initiated and accelerated not only by heat, light and mechanical stress, but also by contact with metals. Applications that come into contact with metal include polyolefin insulations for wire coatings, automobile parts and pipes as well as, elastomeric compounds for coatings and insulation. Metal deactivators are used as polymer additives to control the metal-catalyzed oxidation of these hydrocarbon materials, thereby improving the stability of these polymers, including their long-term stability in these applications.