去年浙江有家做户外园林椅的厂，新料做出来的椅子摆进客户园区，头一年还鲜亮，第二年夏天一过，黑色件表面全是细粉，手一抹一层白，客户拉着照片找过来，说这椅子坐三年就散架，不敢再下单。配方表翻出来一看，整件制品只加了抗氧剂，没加光稳定剂——抗氧管热氧，管不了紫外线。
塑料光稳定剂这东西，跟抗氧剂是一对，但管的不是一回事。户外件褪色、粉化、变脆，十有八九栽在它身上。先花两分钟把家底摸清。
| 体系 | 代表品种 | 关键参数 | 典型制品 | 添加比例 |
|---|
| 紫外线吸收剂UVA | UV531 | 二苯甲酮类,吸收UV,通用 | PE薄膜/PVC型材 | 0.2%-0.5% |
| 紫外线吸收剂UVA | UV326 | 苯并三唑类,低析出,耐候 | 户外PP/ABS件 | 0.2%-0.5% |
| 受阻胺HALS | HALS944 | 聚合型,长效,可循环捕获 | 户外PP/PE/汽车件 | 0.2%-0.4% |
| 受阻胺HALS | HALS770 | 小分子,起效快,易迁移 | 薄制品/纤维 | 0.2%-0.4% |
| 复配体系 | HALS+UVA | 三重协同:抗氧+HALS+UVA | 长期户外件 | 合计0.4%-0.8% |
注：表中为行业通用范围，具体牌号与耐候数据以厂家TDS及氙灯老化检测报告为准。
户外件褪色不是晒老了，是没人替它挡紫外线
话不多少，先把这位遮阳伞认识清楚。宁波市科隆新材料有限公司长期供应塑料光稳定剂及各类改性助剂，UV326、UV531、HALS944、HALS770这些常用品种有稳定货源。光稳定剂说白了就是给塑料打一把遮阳伞——太阳里的紫外线打在分子链上，照样把键打断，跟热氧一个路数，只是能量来源换成了光。抗氧剂管的是加工和常温使用里的热氧老化，紫外线这事它顾不上，得上专门的UV稳定剂。
做户外件的厂都吃过这个亏：料在车间里测性能样样达标，摆到太阳底下一年就现原形。这不是料差，是配方里少了晒不坏这一环。投入也就一吨料里零点几公斤，可产品能不能过三年五年的耐候要求，全攥在它手里。
抗氧剂管家里那点事，光稳定剂才是户外件能不能出门的那道关。
图2 户外板材与紫外老化试验
UVA挡紫外线，HALS收自由基，两支队伍配合着打
光稳定剂分两大类，各有分工。紫外线吸收剂UVA，靠自己先把紫外线吸下来变成无害的热，像遮阳伞；受阻胺HALS不挡光，是把紫外线打出来的自由基一个一个抓掉，还能循环再生，像巡逻的保安。UV531和UV326是UVA里的常见品种，HALS944、HALS770是受阻胺里的主力。
干久了的师傅都清楚，光稳定剂不是单打独斗能出彩的。户外长期件通常走三重协同：抗氧剂加HALS加UVA，抗氧管热氧，HALS长效收自由基，UVA先挡一道光，各管一段。单加一种，薄件还行，长期户外往往撑不住。
品种怎么挑也有讲究。UV531便宜、通用性强，PE薄膜、PVC型材用得多；UV326析出低、耐候好，户外PP和ABS件更稳。HALS944是聚合型的，分子大不迁移，长效耐候，汽车件、园林件爱用；HALS770分子小起效快，薄制品和纤维里用，可迁移快，长效不如944。选的时候看制品厚度、户外年限、耐候等级，别拿薄膜的方子套汽车件。
还有个坑得说。HALS是碱性的，碰到酸性体系会失效——含卤阻燃剂、某些PVC体系、耐候要求高的酸性填料里，HALS活性被中和，加了跟没加差不多。这种地方要么换酸性兼容的品种，要么靠UVA多扛一点。这看不见的配伍，自改配方最容易漏。
再补一句大白话。紫外线里真正搞破坏的是三百到四百纳米那段UVA和UVB，塑料分子链在这个波段吸收能量，产生光氧化反应，跟热氧一个套路，只是能量来自光。所以光稳定剂加抗氧剂是长期户外件的标配——一个挡光、一个收氧，缺一个寿命都打折。做耐候方案时，先把制品要在户外待几年想清楚，南方紫外线强、北方冬天温差大，添加量和品种都得跟着调。
一件户外件做砸退回来，够买十年光稳定剂
厂方为什么要在光稳定剂上下功夫？从退货单说起。做园林椅、户外垃圾桶、汽车保险杠、棚膜的厂，料晒一年就粉化褪色，客户验厂时对着日晒箱一照不达标，整批判退，重做加赔付，一趟亏的钱够买好几年助剂。可光稳定剂一吨料里加零点几公斤，一公斤几十到上百块，折算到吨成本里还是百分之一上下。用这点钱把户外耐候这道关守住，账怎么算都划算。
这笔钱花下去，到底换回了什么？省下的是户外件不粉化、不褪色、不因为耐候不达标退货；稳住的是氙灯老化数据每批可追，客户要五年八年耐候才敢接；调得动的是体系——添加量小，换树脂不用大改配方，调光稳定组合就行。
| 成本项 | 不加或省加 | 正常复配添加 | 差异说明 |
|---|
| 助剂采购 | 几乎为零 | 每吨几十到一百多 | 占吨成本<2% |
| 户外寿命 | 一年粉化 | 按要求撑3-5年 | 退货风险差一大截 |
| 外观 | 褪色发灰 | 颜色保持匀 | 验厂才过得了 |
| 废品率 | 户外件整批判 | 批次稳定 | 良率差几个点 |
| 综合账 | 省助剂钱 | 小投入保整批 | 退一次顶几年助剂 |
自改还是买改性料？老规矩摊开比。自己买基料加光稳定剂改，还是直接买配好的耐候改性料？
| 对比项 | 直接买耐候改性料 | 基料+光稳定剂自改 | 说明 |
|---|
| 料本 | 含加工费和耐候溢价 | 通常更低 | 行业通用口径 |
| 灵活度 | 挑现成牌号 | 按户外年限微调 | 南方北方光照不同 |
| 起订量 | 整吨起 | 助剂公斤级 | 库存压力小 |
| 合规数据 | 供应商掌握 | 自己掌握氙灯数据 | 耐候报告在手 |
| 适合谁 | 用量小/认证严 | 有量有老化箱的厂 | 没老化箱别硬改 |
边界提醒：自己改光稳定体系，得有氙灯老化箱或者QUV设备，没这个设备别上来就自改——耐候这事不靠感觉，靠数据。用量小、或者客户认耐候认证牌号的订单，直接买改性料更省事。哪些活儿别接自改，自己掂量着。
再把成本账摊开看。改性料的报价里，原料之外还压着加工费、包装、管销财费，末了再叠一层利润——通用料百分之五到十，工程料拉到百分之十五到二十五。买现成耐候料，这几笔加价全摊在你头上；自改只进基料加光稳定剂，原料是大头，加工那一段省下来的加价，就是自改的空间。日用量大、配方又稳的厂，这笔自改的账才划得来。
再给个直观对比。同样一吨户外PP改性料，只加抗氧的，成本是低了，可客户要求三年不粉化，验厂时拿氙灯报告一对就露馅；按HALS加UVA加抗氧配齐，助剂成本多了几十块，可耐候这关稳了，订单能续。一单一单这么算下来，省下来的不是料钱，是客户和交期。做户外件的厂都懂，料省一点，退货赔一大截，真划不来。这笔账，在行业里做个两三年就全明白了的。
同一种光稳定剂，放十个塑料品类里用法差出一截
光稳定剂不是一张方子打天下，换个基材，体系和添加量都得调。宁波市科隆新材料给不同基材配耐候体系时，先问做什么料、户外几年、南方北方，再推HALS加UVA组合——PP棚膜要耐候，ABS汽车件要保光，问错方向配方就偏了。
| 塑料品类 | 典型场景 | 添加量范围 | 效果 | 注意事项 |
|---|
| PP | 保险杠/园林椅 | 0.3%-0.6% | 抗粉化褪色 | HALS944为主 |
| PE | 棚膜/管材 | 0.3%-0.6% | 农膜耐候 | 薄膜选低析出 |
| ABS | 摩托车件/户外壳 | 0.3%-0.5% | 保光泽 | 与抗氧协同 |
| PC | 户外灯罩/板材 | 0.2%-0.5% | 防黄变 | 高温配UVA |
| PA | 户外园林件 | 0.3%-0.6% | 耐候耐水 | 用1098抗氧 |
| PVC | 户外型材/护栏 | 0.3%-0.6% | 抗变色 | 配热稳定剂 |
| PMMA | 户外展示件 | 0.2%-0.5% | 保透光 | 选耐候级 |
| PET | 户外片材 | 0.2%-0.4% | 抗UV | 注意结晶 |
| 再生料 | 回料制品 | 原配方补加 | 杂质多耗料快 | 多补三到五成 |
还有个常被忽略的点：再生料里光稳定剂已耗掉一部分，回料比例超三成，通常要补加原配方三成到五成。回料掺得越狠，这一项越要往回补，科隆新材配回收耐候体系时会把这事一并提示。
你手上要是正好有个户外PP件、或者棚膜要加耐候，HALS和UVA怎么搭心里没底，别急着下单。把基材、户外年限、月用量发来，科隆新材先帮你看方向、圈两三个候选体系。
从只加抗氧到补上光稳，退货单翻篇了
下面是讲清耐候逻辑拼出来的典型示例，对不上任何一家真实客户。华东有家做户外垃圾桶的厂，前几年配方里只加了抗氧剂，料在车间测着好好的，一摆到太阳底下两年就发灰掉粉，客户验厂时拿着氙灯报告不签字，订单黄了两批。
后来他们改成自己买PP基料，加HALS944配UV531的耐候体系自改。宁波市科隆新材料有限公司给寄了公斤级样品，附了同批次氙灯老化数据。客户在自己的老化箱跑了一千小时氙灯，色差和外观保留比原来只加抗氧的料好了一大截。跑了三个月小批量，切过来，吨成本没涨多少，耐候验厂这关终于过了。
他们也踩过坑。头一回只加了HALS没配UVA，薄壁件户外一年还是发黄；后来把UVA补上，又按南方光照重调了添加量，才稳住。这单说明：光稳定剂自改省的是料钱，前提是体系配全、数据别省。
这种事在户外件行业里不算新鲜。宁波市科隆新材料有限公司这些年接过不少类似的单子——料做出来性能达标，就是过不了晒这一关，一查配方光稳定体系缺胳膊少腿。把HALS和UVA配齐，再按实际光照年限调添加量，多数问题都能解决。耐候这事没有玄学，就是配方全不全、数据到不到位。
光稳定剂选型，先定户外年限再翻牌号
选料前把下面这张表存进手机，按场景找等级：
| 应用场景 | 推荐体系 | 添加量 | 注意事项 |
|---|
| 通用户外PP | HALS944+UV531 | 0.4%-0.6% | 三协同加抗氧 |
| PE棚膜/农膜 | HALS+UV531 | 0.3%-0.6% | 薄膜低析出 |
| ABS户外件 | HALS+UV326 | 0.3%-0.5% | 保光泽 |
| 汽车户外件 | HALS944+UVA | 0.5%-0.8% | 耐候等级高 |
| PVC户外型材 | UV531+热稳 | 0.3%-0.6% | 配热稳体系 |
| 回收料>30% | 原配方补加 | 按比例 | 多补三到五成 |
采购光稳定剂送个实在动作：头一回合作先要小样，要氙灯或QUV老化数据，上机做几件典型件跑完再谈批量。光稳定剂的猫腻不在单批，在两批之间色差和耐候漂不漂——每批随货带数据，比嘴上保证管用。
常有人问几个高频问题，一并答清楚。问：塑料光稳定剂一般加多少合适？答：复配体系总添加量百分之零点四到零点八，HALS占大头，UVA补一道，薄件取下限，长期户外件取上限。
问：HALS和UVA有什么区别？答：UVA像遮阳伞先把紫外线挡了，HALS像保安把打出来的自由基抓掉，俩是搭档，长期户外件建议一起上。问：户外PP褪色先查什么？答：查三件事——加没加光稳定剂、HALS跟酸性阻燃剂兼不兼容、回料比例是不是过高把料耗空了。
行情给个参照口径。按行业通用价，HALS944这类聚合型受阻胺大约六十到一百块一公斤，UV531和UV326便宜些。整个耐候体系占吨成本也就百分之二到五——这点钱跟户外件退货比，真不算什么。宁波市科隆新材料有限公司报光稳定剂时，会把常用品种行情和氙灯数据一起给你。
户外件晒三年不出事，靠的不是运气，是配方里那零点几个百分点的光稳定剂。
耐候体系配得对，户外件才敢接五年的单
宁波市科隆新材料有限公司长期供应UV326/UV531/HALS944/HALS770等光稳定剂，覆盖PP/PE/ABS/PVC等户外件改性场景。
声明：本文提及的品牌及商标权归各自原厂所有。本文为第三方选材知识分享，文中涉及的具体牌号、参数、价格、认证等信息以各厂家官方最新资料为准。本文不构成任何采购或投资建议。
Last year, there was a factory in Zhejiang that made outdoor garden chairs. The chairs made with new materials looked bright when placed in the customer's park, but after the first year, by the second summer, the surface of the black parts was covered in fine powder, and a swipe of the hand left a white layer. The customer came over with photos, saying that the chairs would fall apart after three years and didn't dare to place another order. When we checked the formula sheet, we saw that the whole product only had antioxidant added and no light stabilizer — antioxidants can handle thermal oxidation, but not UV.
Plastic light stabilizers are a thing, paired with antioxidants, but they handle different issues. When outdoor parts fade, chalk, or become brittle, nine times out of ten it's because of them. Spend a couple of minutes first to understand what you have.
| system | Representative variety | Key parameters | Typical products | Add ratio |
|---|
| Ultraviolet Absorber UVA | UV531 | Benzophenone type, absorbs UV, general purpose | PE Film / PVC Profile | 0.2%-0.5% |
| Ultraviolet Absorber UVA | UV326 | Benzotriazole, low precipitation, weather-resistant | Outdoor PP/ABS parts | 0.2%-0.5% |
| Hindered Amine HALS | HALS944 | Aggregated, long-acting, recyclable capture | Outdoor PP/PE/automotive parts | 0.2%-0.4% |
| Hindered Amine HALS | HALS770 | Small molecule, fast-acting, easily migrates | Thin products / fibers | 0.2%-0.4% |
| Blended System | HALS UVA | Triple Synergy: Antioxidant HALS UVA | Long-term outdoor components | Total 0.4%-0.8% |
Note: The ranges in the table are industry general ranges; the specific grades and weather resistance data are subject to the manufacturer's TDS and xenon lamp aging test reports.
Outdoor items fading is not because they aged from sun exposure, it's because no one protected them from ultraviolet rays.
Without saying much, let's first get familiar with this umbrella of protection. Ningbo Kelon New Materials Co., Ltd. has long been supplying plastic light stabilizers and various modified additives, with stable sources for commonly used products such as UV326, UV531, HALS944, and HALS770. To put it simply, light stabilizers are like giving plastics a sun umbrella—UV rays in the sunlight hitting the molecular chains can still break the bonds, similar to thermal oxidation, just with the energy source being light. Antioxidants address thermal oxidation during processing and at normal temperatures, but they can't handle UV rays; a special UV stabilizer is needed.
Factories making outdoor components have all suffered this loss: the material passes all performance tests in the workshop, but after being placed under the sun for a year, its true nature is revealed. This is not due to poor material, but because the formula lacks the element that prevents sun damage. The amount needed is only a fraction of a kilogram per ton of material, yet whether the product can meet three- or five-year weather resistance requirements depends entirely on it.
The little stuff about antioxidants at home is minor; it's the stabilizers that determine whether outdoor components can withstand exposure.
Figure 2 Outdoor Panels and Ultraviolet Aging Test
UVA blocks ultraviolet rays, HALS scavenges free radicals, and the two teams work together.
Photostabilizers are divided into two main categories, each with its own role. Ultraviolet absorbers (UVA) work by absorbing ultraviolet light and converting it into harmless heat, like a sunshade; hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) do not block light, but capture the free radicals generated by UV one by one, and can regenerate, like patrolling security guards. UV531 and UV326 are common types of UVA, while HALS944 and HALS770 are the mainstays of HALS.
Experienced masters all know that stabilizers alone can't shine. Long-term outdoor parts usually rely on a triple synergy: antioxidant plus HALS plus UVA—antioxidants handle thermal oxidation, HALS effectively capture free radicals over the long term, and UVA blocks some of the light first, each handling a different aspect. Using just one kind may work for thin parts, but long-term outdoor exposure usually can't withstand it.
There are tricks to choosing the right type. UV531 is cheap and versatile, commonly used for PE film and PVC profiles; UV326 has low precipitation and good weather resistance, making outdoor PP and ABS parts more stable. HALS944 is polymeric, with large molecules that do not migrate, providing long-term weather resistance, often used in automotive and garden parts; HALS770 has small molecules, acts quickly, used in thin products and fibers, migrates fast, and its long-term effect is not as good as 944. When selecting, consider the product thickness, outdoor lifespan, and weather resistance grade, and don't use a formula for films on automotive parts.
There's another pitfall to mention. HALS is alkaline and will fail when it encounters acidic systems — in systems containing halogenated flame retardants, certain PVC systems, or acidic fillers with high weather resistance requirements, the activity of HALS is neutralized, making its addition almost pointless. In such cases, you either have to switch to a variety compatible with acids or rely more on UVA. This invisible compatibility issue is the easiest thing to miss when modifying formulations on your own.
To put it in plain words: The part of ultraviolet radiation that really causes damage is the 300 to 400 nanometer range of UVA and UVB. Plastic molecular chains absorb energy in this range and undergo photo-oxidation reactions, which is similar to thermal oxidation, except the energy comes from light. That’s why photostabilizers and anti-oxidants are standard for long-term outdoor products—one blocks light, the other scavenges oxygen, and missing either one shortens the lifespan. When developing weather-resistant solutions, first think clearly about how many years the product needs to endure outdoors. In the south, UV intensity is strong; in the north, winter brings large temperature differences, so both the amount and type of additives need to be adjusted accordingly.
An outdoor item was returned after being ruined, enough to buy ten years' worth of light stabilizer.
Why do manufacturers focus on light stabilizers? Let's start with return orders. For factories making garden chairs, outdoor trash cans, car bumpers, and greenhouse films, the materials will chalk and fade after being exposed to sunlight for a year. When clients inspect the factory, if they see the products fail in the sunlight test, the entire batch is rejected, remade, and additional compensation is required. The losses from one such incident can buy additives for several years. However, adding a few kilograms of light stabilizer per ton of material, costing tens to hundreds of yuan per kilogram, only increases the ton cost by about one percent. Spending this amount to ensure outdoor weather resistance is profitable no matter how you calculate it.
What exactly did spending this money get in return? What was saved were outdoor parts that don’t chalk or fade and won’t be returned due to failing weather resistance; what was stabilized was the xenon lamp aging data, traceable for each batch, assuring customers who require five- or eight-year weather resistance before agreeing; what could be adjusted was the system—small additive amounts, no major formula changes when switching resins, just stabilizing the combination for light adjustment.
| Cost item | Do not add or omit adding | Normal compounded addition | Difference Explanation |
|---|
| Auxiliary Materials Procurement | Almost zero | Tens to over a hundred per ton | Accounts for <2% of the cost per ton |
| Outdoor lifespan | One year of chalking | Support for 3-5 years as required | The risk of returns is much lower |
| Appearance | Faded and gray | Color remains uniform | Only then can the factory inspection be passed |
| Defect rate | Outdoor parts batch inspection | Batch stability | The yield rate is a few points lower |
| General account | Save money on additives | Small investment to secure the whole batch | Returning once can top up several years of additives |
Modify it yourself or buy modified material? As usual, let's compare. Should you buy the base material and add light stabilizers yourself, or just buy ready-made weather-resistant modified material?
| Comparison item | Directly buy weather-resistant modified material | Base material light stabilizer self-modified | Explanation |
|---|
| material cost | Including processing fees and weather resistance premium | Usually lower | Industry-standard caliber |
| Flexibility | Choose an existing brand/model | Fine-tune according to the number of outdoor years | The south and the north have different sunlight. |
| Minimum order quantity | Full ton minimum | Additive kilogram scale | Low inventory pressure |
| Compliance data | Supplier Mastery | Master xenon lamp data yourself | Weathering report in hand |
| Suitable for whom | Small dosage / Strict certification | A factory with capacity and aging chambers | Don't forcibly modify it without an aging box |
Boundary reminder: If you want to modify the light-stable system yourself, you need a xenon lamp aging chamber or QUV equipment. Don’t just modify it yourself without this equipment—weather resistance is based on data, not feeling. For small quantities, or orders where the customer recognizes weather resistance certified grades, it’s easier to just buy modified materials. Be aware of which tasks not to take on for self-modification and measure carefully yourself.
Let's break down the cost accounting. In the quotation for modified materials, besides the raw materials, there are also processing fees, packaging, administrative and financial expenses, and finally a layer of profit — 5% to 10% for general materials, 15% to 25% for engineering materials. When buying ready-made weather-resistant materials, all these markups are borne by you; if you modify it yourself, you only buy the base material and add light stabilizers, with the raw material being the major cost. The markup saved on processing represents the space for self-modification. Only factories with large daily usage and stable formulations can make this self-modification cost-effective.
Here's another intuitive comparison. For the same one ton of outdoor PP modified material, if you only add antioxidants, the cost is lower, but customers require it not to chalk for three years, and when inspecting the factory, the xenon lamp report immediately reveals the problem; if you add HALS, UVA, and antioxidants together, the additive cost increases by several dozen yuan, but this ensures weather resistance and secures the order. Calculated order by order like this, what you save isn't on the material cost, but on the customer and delivery time. Manufacturers making outdoor parts understand this: saving a little on material can lead to large compensation for returns, which really isn't worth it. Anyone in the industry who does this business for two or three years will fully understand this.
The same type of light stabilizer can vary significantly in usage when applied to ten different types of plastics.
Light stabilizers are not a one-size-fits-all solution; when changing the substrate, the system and dosage must be adjusted. When Ningbo Kolon New Materials formulates weather-resistant systems for different substrates, they first ask what material it is, how many years it will be outdoors, and whether it's for the south or north, then recommend a HALS and UVA combination—PP greenhouse films need weather resistance, ABS automotive parts need gloss retention, and if you ask in the wrong direction, the formulation will be off.
| Plastic products | Typical scenario | Addition range | Effect | Precautions |
|---|
| PP | Bumper / Garden Bench | 0.3%-0.6% | Anti-powdering and fading | Mainly HALS944 |
| PE | Greenhouse Film / Pipes | 0.3%-0.6% | Agricultural film weather resistance | Film selects low precipitation |
| ABS | Motorcycle Parts/Outdoor Enclosures | 0.3%-0.5% | Maintain gloss | Synergistic with antioxidants |
| PC | Outdoor lampshade/panel | 0.2%-0.5% | Anti-yellowing | High temperature with UVA |
| PA | Outdoor garden components | 0.3%-0.6% | Weather-resistant and waterproof | Use 1098 antioxidant |
| PVC | Outdoor profiles/railings | 0.3%-0.6% | Colorfast | With heat stabilizer |
| PMMA | Outdoor display piece | 0.2%-0.5% | Light-transmitting | Choose weather-resistant grade |
| PET | Outdoor sheet material | 0.2%-0.4% | UV-resistant | Caution: Crystallization |
| Recycled material | Recycled Material Products | Supplement the original formula | High impurities, fast material consumption | Increase by 30% to 50% |
There is another often overlooked point: a portion of the light stabilizers in recycled material has already been consumed. When the proportion of recycled material exceeds 30%, it is usually necessary to add back 30% to 50% of the original formula. The more recycled material is used, the more this component needs to be added back. When Kolon New Materials adjusts the recovered weather-resistant system, they will also highlight this issue.
If you happen to have an outdoor PP part or a canopy film that needs weather resistance, and you're unsure how to combine HALS and UVA, don’t rush to place an order. Send over the substrate, outdoor lifespan, and monthly usage, and Kolon New Materials will first help you see the direction and shortlist two or three candidate systems.
From only adding antioxidant to also including light stabilizer, the return order has been turned over.
Below is a typical example illustrating the logic of weather resistance; it does not match any real customer. There is a factory in East China that makes outdoor trash cans. A few years ago, their formula only included antioxidants. The material tested fine in the workshop, but after being placed under the sun for two years, it turned gray and powdery. When the customer inspected the factory, they held the xenon lamp report and refused to sign, causing two batches of orders to be canceled.
Later, they switched to buying the PP base material themselves and modifying it with a weather-resistant system using HALS 944 combined with UV 531. Ningbo Kolon New Materials Co., Ltd. sent kilogram-scale samples, along with xenon lamp aging data from the same batch. The customer ran 1,000 hours of xenon lamp tests in their own aging chamber, and the color difference and appearance retention were much better than the material that originally only had antioxidants added. After three months of small-batch production, they switched over to this method. The per-ton cost did not increase much, and they finally passed the factory inspection for weather resistance.
They also encountered problems. The first time, they only added HALS without UVA, and the thin-walled parts still turned yellow outdoors after a year; later, they added UVA and adjusted the amount according to the stronger sunlight in the south, and only then did it stabilize. This case shows: saving money by modifying the light stabilizers yourself only saves on material costs, provided the system is complete and the data is not skimped on.
This kind of thing is not new in the outdoor components industry. Ningbo Kolong New Materials Co., Ltd. has handled quite a few similar orders over the years— the material meets the performance standards, but it can't pass the weathering test. Upon checking, the formulation’s light stabilization system is incomplete. Once HALS and UVA are properly included, and the addition amounts are adjusted according to the actual sunlight exposure period, most problems can be solved. Weather resistance is not mystical; it's all about whether the formulation is complete and whether the data is adequate.
When selecting a light stabilizer, first determine the outdoor service life, then choose the grade.
Before selecting materials, save the table below on your phone and find the level according to the scenario:
| Application scenario | Recommendation system | Addition amount | Precautions |
|---|
| General Outdoor PP | HALS944 UV531 | 0.4%-0.6% | Three synergistic plus antioxidant |
| PE greenhouse film / agricultural film | HALS UV531 | 0.3%-0.6% | Low-deposition film |
| ABS outdoor parts | HALS UV326 | 0.3%-0.5% | Maintain gloss |
| Car outdoor parts | HALS944 UVA | 0.5%-0.8% | High weather resistance rating |
| PVC outdoor profile | UV531 Thermal Stabilization | 0.3%-0.6% | Hot water and heating stabilization system |
| Recycled material >30% | Supplement the original formula | Proportionally | Increase by 30% to 50% |
Take a practical approach when purchasing light stabilizers: for the first cooperation, start with a small sample. You need xenon lamp or QUV aging data, run a few typical parts on the machine, and only then discuss mass production. The trick with light stabilizers isn't in a single batch, but in the color difference and weather resistance between two batches—instead of relying on verbal assurances, each batch should come with data.
People often ask several frequently asked questions, so let's answer them all clearly. Question: How much plastic light stabilizer is generally appropriate to add? Answer: The total addition for a compounded system is 0.4% to 0.8%. HALS takes the major portion, UVA is added as a supplement; use the lower limit for thin items, and the upper limit for long-term outdoor items.
Q: What is the difference between HALS and UVA? A: UVA acts like an umbrella that blocks ultraviolet rays first, while HALS acts like a security guard that catches the free radicals produced. They are partners, and for long-term outdoor items, it is recommended to use both together. Q: When outdoor PP fades, what should be checked first? A: Check three things — whether a light stabilizer was added, whether HALS is compatible with acidic flame retardants, and whether the proportion of recycled material is too high, which can deplete the material.
Provide a reference for the market price. According to the industry standard prices, aggregated hindered amines like HALS944 cost about 60 to 100 yuan per kilogram, while UV531 and UV326 are cheaper. The entire weather-resistant system only accounts for 2% to 5% of the cost per ton—this amount of money is really nothing compared to returns on outdoor products. When Ningbo Kolon New Materials Co., Ltd. reports on light stabilizers, they will give you the market price of commonly used products along with xenon lamp data.
Outdoor parts can withstand three years in the sun without problems, not because of luck, but because of the few tenths of a percent of light stabilizers in the formula.
Only when the weather-resistant system is matched correctly dare outdoor components take five-year orders.
Ningbo Kelon New Materials Co., Ltd. has long-term supply of UV326/UV531/HALS944/HALS770 and other light stabilizers, covering outdoor component modification scenarios for PP/PE/ABS/PVC, etc.
Statement: The brands and trademarks mentioned in this article are owned by their respective original manufacturers. This article is a third-party material selection knowledge sharing, and the specific grades, parameters, prices, certifications, and other information involved in the text are subject to the latest official information from each manufacturer. This article does not constitute any procurement or investment advice.
