In this work, the thermal stabilization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by super-growth carbon nanotubes (SGCNTs) is studied by analyzing degraded compounds via high-resolution matrix -assisted laser diffusion ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy and IR techniques. SGCNTs successfully suppress the thermal oxidation of PEG, and the components of the degraded compounds change upon addition of SGCNTs to PEG. The SGCNTs quench mainly the RO radical generated by the initial chain scission of the C-O bond of PEG, resulting in the suppression of the intermolecular proton abstraction. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.