Pluronic nanoparticles as anti-oxidant carriers for polymers

The immobilization of anti-oxidant stabilizers for polymers, particularly naturally occurring systems, can be considered a valuable route for preventing their migration, volatilization, thermo-degradation and decomposition at typical high processing temperatures, as well as for enhance their solubility in polymers. In this work, an innovative approach for the immobilization of naturally occurring stabilizer, through the encapsulation in copolymer nanoparticles, is proposed. Pluronic nanoparticles (PNPs), based on PEO-PPO-PEO, (PEO: poly (ethylene oxide); PPO: poly(propylene oxide)), without and with quercetin, Q, have been successfully formulated and the critical micellar conditions have been established through accurate analyses performed by micro-calorimetry, dynamic light scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy. PNPs have been introduced in poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, and the so formulated films have been subjected to artificial weathering, with the aim to probe the effectiveness of the use of PNPs as anti-oxidant carriers. The obtained results highlight that the proposed innovative route, consisting in the encapsulation of Q molecules in PNPs, allows to enhance the Q solubility in the polymer matrix, leading to the formulation of advanced materials with prolonged durability.