How to use polyurethane composite antioxidants to enhance the beauty of the building’s facade

Date：2025-03-16 Categories：News

Polyurethane composite antioxidant: a “beautician” who injects vitality into the facade of the building

In modern society, architecture is not only a functional spatial carrier, but also an important manifestation of urban culture and aesthetics. When we stand on the streets of a city, wherever we look, the towering skyscrapers, colorful residential buildings and unique historical buildings together form the unique scenery of the city. However, over time, the facade of the building will inevitably be affected by the natural environment – erosion of ultraviolet rays, erosion of rain, pulling temperature changes, and invasion of air pollution, which will gradually make the originally glamorous exterior walls lose their luster.

Faced with this problem, scientists proposed a solution – polyurethane composite antioxidants. It is like a professional “beautician”, injecting new vitality into the building facade by delaying material aging, enhancing weather resistance and improving appearance effects. This magical chemical not only protects the building from outside, but also allows it to maintain its lasting aesthetic. This article will deeply explore the mechanism, performance characteristics and application value of polyurethane composite antioxidants, and combine it with relevant domestic and foreign literature to unveil the mystery of this “invisible guardian”.

1. Basic concepts of polyurethane composite antioxidants

(I) What is polyurethane composite antioxidant?

Polyurethane composite antioxidant is a mixture of a variety of functional compounds, mainly used to improve the antioxidant capacity of polyurethane materials. Simply put, it is a “preservative” that can effectively prevent the polyurethane coating or insulation from degradation due to oxidation, thereby extending the service life of the material. As a high-performance polymer, polyurethane is widely used in the construction field, including exterior wall coatings, waterproof films, heat insulation panels, etc. However, because its molecular structure contains groups that are easily oxidized (such as isocyanate groups), aging is prone to occur when exposed to sunlight, moisture and oxygen for a long time, resulting in discoloration, cracking and even peeling of the material. At this time, polyurethane composite antioxidants become an indispensable key ingredient.

(Bi) Working principle of polyurethane composite antioxidants

The core function of polyurethane composite antioxidants is to capture free radicals and prevent chain reactions from occurring. When polyurethane materials are stimulated by ultraviolet rays or other energy, free radicals will be generated inside the molecules. These unstable atoms or molecular groups will trigger a chain reaction, which will eventually lead to the degradation of the material. Antioxidants combine with free radicals through their own chemical structures, converting them into a stable state, thus interrupting this destruction process.

To achieve a more comprehensive protective effect, polyurethane composite antioxidants usually use compounding technology, that is, combining different types of antioxidants together. For example, the main antioxidant is responsible for directly scavenging free radicals, while the auxiliary antioxidant helps decompose peroxides. The two work together to form a strong line of defense. In addition, some compositeAntioxidants may also contain UV absorbers or light stabilizers to further enhance the weather resistance of the material.

2. Main parameters and classification of polyurethane composite antioxidants

(I) Main parameters

The following are some key parameters of polyurethane composite antioxidants:

parameter name	Description
Thermal Stability	indicates the ability of antioxidants to remain active under high temperature conditions, usually measured by decomposition temperature (℃).
Compatibility	refers to the degree of compatibility between antioxidants and polyurethane substrates. Good compatibility helps uniform dispersion and achieves good results.
Additional amount	The proportion of antioxidants to the total formula is generally 0.1%-2.0%. The specific value depends on the application scenario and material requirements.
Color stability	Where antioxidants can effectively inhibit the fading or yellowing of the material under light conditions.
Volatility	Whether antioxidants are prone to volatilization during use, low volatility means higher long-term effectiveness.

(Bi) Classification

According to functional characteristics, polyurethane composite antioxidants can be divided into the following categories:

1. Main antioxidant

Main antioxidants are the basic category and are mainly used to scavenge free radicals. Common primary antioxidants include phenolic compounds (such as BHT, antioxidant 1010) and amine compounds (such as antioxidant 445). This type of antioxidant has high activity and can quickly interfere with the oxidation reaction in the early stages.

2. Auxiliary antioxidants

Auxiliary antioxidants are mainly responsible for decomposing peroxides and preventing them from continuing to produce free radicals. Thioesters (such as antioxidant DLTP) and phosphites (such as antioxidant 168) are typical auxiliary antioxidants.

3. Photo stabilizer

Light stabilizers focus on resisting damage to materials by ultraviolet rays and are often used in outdoor environments. They can protect the material by absorbing UV energy or reflecting light out. Representative products include benzotriazoles (such as UV-326) and hindered amines (such as Tinuvin 770).

4. Complex antioxidants

Complex antioxidants are products made by mixing the above types in a certain proportion, which can meet multiple protective needs at the same time. For example,A compound antioxidant may contain the main antioxidant 1010, the auxiliary antioxidant 168 and the light stabilizer UV-326, which is suitable for complex building facade environments.

III. Application of polyurethane composite antioxidants in building facades

(I) Improve the durability of exterior wall coatings

Exterior wall paint is an important part of the exterior facade of a building and directly affects the overall aesthetics of the building. However, traditional paints often experience powdering, shedding or dull color after long exposure to natural environments. The addition of polyurethane composite antioxidants can make the coating have stronger antioxidant ability, thereby significantly extending its service life.

Study shows that polyurethane coatings containing appropriate proportions of antioxidants still maintain excellent adhesion and bright colors after 10 years of outdoor testing. In contrast, ordinary paint without antioxidants has long lost its luster and even started to peel off. This is like putting on the paint a “anti-old clothing” so that it will still shine under the baptism of time.

(II) Enhance the stability of insulation materials

The building exterior wall insulation system is an important part of modern energy-saving buildings, and polyurethane hard bubbles are one of the common insulation materials. However, since the polyurethane hard bubbles contain a large amount of isocyanate groups, they are extremely susceptible to attacks from ultraviolet rays and oxygen, resulting in problems such as material strength and unstable size. To this end, scientists have developed a composite antioxidant formula specifically for polyurethane hard bubbles.

Experimental data show that the physical properties of polyurethane hard bubbles with compound antioxidants remain above 95% of the initial level even after exposure to strong ultraviolet light for more than one year. This means that this improved insulation can work reliably, whether in hot desert areas or in cold polar climates.

(III) Optimize the appearance effect of decorative boards

The choice of decorative panels is crucial for many high-end construction projects. Polyurethane composite sheets have been popular in recent years due to their lightweight, high strength and easy processing characteristics. However, it is a big challenge to ensure that these boards do not show obvious signs of aging during long-term use.

By introducing polyurethane composite antioxidants, it can not only greatly reduce the risk of yellowing on the surface of the board, but also maintain a more uniform texture and color. More importantly, this treatment does not add additional costs, but instead reduces overall expenses due to the extension of the product maintenance cycle.

4. Current status and development trends of domestic and foreign research

(I) Progress in foreign research

European and American countries started early in the research of polyurethane composite antioxidants and accumulated rich experience. For example, the Irgastab series of antioxidants launched by BASF, Germany, has excellent thermal and light stability for its excellent thermal stability and light stabilityIt is famous all over the world; DuPont’s Tinuvin series products have won wide recognition in the market with its strong ultraviolet protection capabilities.

In recent years, with the continuous increase in environmental awareness, the international development direction of antioxidants has also changed. More and more companies are beginning to pay attention to the concept of green chemistry and are committed to developing new antioxidants that are non-toxic, harmless and biodegradable. For example, Sumitomo Chemical of Japan successfully developed a natural antioxidant based on plant extracts, which not only have excellent performance, but also fully complies with the requirements of the EU REACH regulations.

(II) Domestic development trends

Although my country started a little later in the field of polyurethane composite antioxidants, it has made great progress in recent years. Especially with the increasing support for energy conservation and emission reduction policies in the country, the demand for various functional additives has grown rapidly, which has promoted the rapid development of related technologies.

At present, many domestic companies have mastered advanced compounding technology and can customize the production of antioxidant products for specific purposes according to customer needs. For example, the PAC-2000 series of antioxidants developed by a chemical factory in Jiangsu are specially designed for building exterior paints. They have excellent weather resistance and economy, and are highly praised by users.

In the future, with the development of nanotechnology and smart materials, the antioxidant industry is expected to usher in a new round of technological innovation. At that time, we may see the advent of new and more intelligent and multifunctional antioxidants, providing a more complete solution for the beauty and durability of the building facade.

5. Conclusion: Let the architecture shine with eternal beauty

Polyurethane composite antioxidants are a key technology in the field of modern architecture, which are quietly changing the appearance of our city. It not only gives the building facade a longer vitality, but also gives designers greater creative freedom. Just imagine, without such a magical “beautician”, our high-rise buildings might have become mottled and lost their due style.

Of course, any technology has its limitations, and polyurethane composite antioxidants are no exception. In practical applications, we need to consider factors such as cost, environmental impact and construction conditions to reasonably choose appropriate antioxidant solutions. Only in this way can we truly achieve a win-win situation between economic and social benefits.

After this, let us look forward to the future building facades will become more colorful and durable as technology continues to advance. After all, who doesn’t want to see their homes be young forever?

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