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Reactive Secondary Sequence Oxidative Pathology Polymer Model and Antioxidant Tests.
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, SDB 539, 1919 7 Avenue South, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, Birmingham AL 35294, USA.
International Research Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry
|April 25, 2015
Summary
Free radicals can crosslink unsaturated lipids into polymers using Fenton reactions and acrolein. Hydroquinone demonstrated superior antioxidant capabilities compared to Vitamin E in preventing this crosslinking.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Free-radical crosslinking is a key process in polymer science.
- Understanding thermoset formation is crucial for material development.
- Vitamins and antioxidants play a role in biological and chemical processes involving free radicals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms of free-radical crosslinking in organic materials.
- To investigate the crosslinking potential of common vitamins (A and E) and beta-carotene.
- To compare the antioxidant efficacy of hydroquinone and Vitamin E as free-radical inhibitors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized peroxide/Fenton redox couples to generate free radicals.
- Crosslinked unsaturated lipid oils with acrolein to form thermoset polymers.
- Assessed crosslinking by measuring weight changes and percent shrinkage over time.
- Compared antioxidant activity of hydroquinone and Vitamin E at varying concentrations.
Main Results:
- Unsaturated lipids crosslinked with acrolein via Fenton reactions formed rubbery solids and adhesive products.
- Vitamin A and beta-carotene exhibited potential for pathological chain-growth crosslinking.
- Hydroquinone significantly reduced percent shrinkage (11.6%) compared to Vitamin E (27.8%) at 7.3wt% antioxidant concentration (P = .001).
Conclusions:
- Free radicals, in conjunction with acrolein and Fenton reactions, effectively crosslink unsaturated lipids into thermoset polymers.
- Hydroquinone serves as a more potent antioxidant than Vitamin E in inhibiting free-radical-induced crosslinking.
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