Rubber, plastics, and their products gradually become sticky, brittle, or cracked during storage and use due to factors like heat, oxygen, ozone, stress, light, chemicals, and mold. This loss of elasticity and decline in properties is called aging. To counter this, anti-aging agents are added to enhance resistance and extend product life.

Anti-aging agents include antioxidants, UV stabilizers, metal ion inhibitors, antiozonants, stabilizers, and waxes. Antioxidants are further divided into primary and auxiliary types. Since no single agent can address all aging factors, combining two or more anti-aging agents is common to achieve effective protection.