Stabilizer (chemistry)
Encyclopedia
In chemistry
a stabilizer is a chemical which tends to inhibit the reaction between two or more other chemicals. It can be thought of as the antonym to a catalyst. The term can also refer to a chemical that inhibits separation of suspensions, emulsions, and foams.
Some kinds of stabilizers are:
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
a stabilizer is a chemical which tends to inhibit the reaction between two or more other chemicals. It can be thought of as the antonym to a catalyst. The term can also refer to a chemical that inhibits separation of suspensions, emulsions, and foams.
Some kinds of stabilizers are:
- antioxidantAntioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
s, preventing unwanted oxidation of materials - sequestrantSequestrantA sequestrant is a food additive whose role is to improve the quality and stability of the food products. Sequestrants form chelate complexes with polyvalent metal ions, especially copper, iron and nickel, which serve as catalysts in the oxidation of the fats in the food...
s, forming chelate complexesChelationChelation is the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between apolydentate ligand and a single central atom....
and inactivating traces of metal ions that would otherwise act as catalysts - emulsifiers and surfactantSurfactantSurfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...
s, for stabilization of emulsionEmulsionAn emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible . Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion is used when both the dispersed and the...
s - ultraviolet stabilizersUV Stabilizers in plasticsUV light stabilizers are used frequently in plastics, including cosmetics and films. The primary function is to protect the substance from the long-term degradation effects from light, most frequently ultraviolet light...
, protecting materials, especially plasticPlasticA plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
s, from harmful effects of ultravioletUltravioletUltraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
radiation- UV absorbers, chemicals absorbing ultraviolet radiation and preventing it from penetrating the materials; principally the same as sunscreenSunscreenSunblock is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn...
s - quenchers, dissipating the radiation energy as heat instead of letting it break chemical bonds; often organic nickelNickelNickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
salts, e.g. nickel phenolates - scavengersScavenger (chemistry)A scavenger in chemistry is a chemical substance added to a mixture in order to remove or inactivate impurities or unwanted reaction products. Their use is wide-ranged:...
, eliminating the free radicals formed by ultraviolet radiation; often hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS)
- UV absorbers, chemicals absorbing ultraviolet radiation and preventing it from penetrating the materials; principally the same as sunscreen
See also
- Corrosion inhibitorCorrosion inhibitorA corrosion inhibitor is a chemical compound that, when added to a liquid or gas, decreases the corrosion rate of a material, typically a metal or an alloy. The effectiveness of a corrosion inhibitor depends on fluid composition, quantity of water, and flow regime...
- Stabilizers for polymersStabilizers for polymersStabilizers for polymers are used directly or by combinations to prevent the various effects such as oxidation, chain scission and uncontrolled recombinations and cross-linking reactions that are caused by photo-oxidation of polymers. Polymers are considered to get weathered due to the direct or...