Antioxidanten worden meestal toegevoegd aan industriële producten. Een algemeen gebruik is als stabilisator voor brandstoffen en smeermiddelen om oxidatie te voorkomen. Het kan ook aan benzine worden toegevoegd om polymerisatie te voorkomen en vervuiling van de motor te voorkomen. In 2007 bereikte de totale wereldmarkt voor industriële antioxidanten 880,000 ton, wat een omzet van ongeveer 3,7 miljard dollar (ongeveer 2,4 miljard euro) opleverde.
Antioxidants are widely used in high molecular polymers such as rubber, plastics and adhesives to prevent polymer materials from losing strength and toughness due to oxidative degradation. Polymers such as natural rubber and polybutadiene have carbon-carbon double bonds in their molecular backbones. They are particularly susceptible to being broken by oxidation and ozonation reactions, while antioxidants and antiozonants (Antiozonant) are Can make it protected. As the material degrades and the main chain breaks, cracks begin to appear on the exposed surface of the solid polymer material. The cracks produced by oxidation and ozone oxidation are different. The former produces a "crazy paving" effect, while the latter produces deeper cracks in the vertical direction of the tensile strain. The oxidation of polymers and the degradation under ultraviolet radiation are often related, mainly because ultraviolet radiation can break chemical bonds and generate free radicals. The generated free radicals react with oxygen to produce peroxy free radicals that will cause further damage in a chain reaction. Other polymers, including polypropylene and polyethylene, are also susceptible to oxidation. The former is more sensitive to oxidation because of the presence of secondary carbon atoms in the repeating units of the main chain. The radicals formed are more radical than those of primary carbon atoms. Stable, so it is more susceptible to attack and oxidation. The oxidation of polyethylene often occurs at weak links in the chain, such as branch points in low-density polyethylene.
