Mannitol Fumarate Ester–Based Cerium Alkoxide as a Novel Multifunctional Thermal Stabilizer for Polyvinyl Chloride

ABSTRACT Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is widely used but requires heat stabilizers to prevent thermal decomposition. In this work, a novel multifunctional antimicrobial thermal stabilizer, mannitol fumarate ester–based cerium alkoxide (MFE‐Ce), was synthesized, and its effects on the thermal stability and processing performance of PVC were systematically investigated. The thermal stabilization performance was evaluated by conductivity measurement, oven aging, and Congo red tests, while antibacterial and biocompatibility properties were assessed through surface antibacterial tests, OD value determination, SEM observation, hemolysis, and cell viability assays. The results show that MFE‐Ce–stabilized PVC exhibits strong antibacterial activity, with a maximum inhibition rate of 97.74%, along with preliminary biocompatibility toward L929 cells and acceptable hemocompatibility in vitro (hemolysis rate of 4.38%). SEM observations suggest possible interactions between MFE‐Ce and bacterial membranes, although the antibacterial mechanism is inferred from indirect evidence. Furthermore, MFE‐Ce significantly enhances both the initial and long‐term thermal stability of PVC and shows a synergistic stabilizing effect with ZnSt 2 , which is attributed to its HCl absorption and allyl chloride substitution abilities. This study provides a promising strategy for developing multifunctional PVC additives with improved performance and acceptable biosafety.