The covalent immobilization of hindered phenol groups, with potential antioxidant activity, onto an ethylene/α-olefin (EOC) copolymer was carried out by the nitroxide radical coupling (NRC) reaction performed in the melt with a peroxide and the 3, 5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoyl-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (BHB-T). Functionalized EOC (EOC-g-(BHB-T)) was exposed to photo-and thermo-oxidation. By comparison with some model compounds bearing the (2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl) oxyl (TEMPO) moiety or the hindered phenol unit, it was observed that the grafted BHB-T could effectively help the stabilization of the polymer matrix both under photo-and thermo-oxidation. In addition, the immobilization of BHB-T can effectively increase the service life of the functionalized polymers when polymer films were put in contact with ethanol solution thus simulating a possible application of the modified polymer. View Full-Text