Abstract
The photodegradation of irradiated thin films of poly (para-methylstyrene) with 265 nm radiations in the presence of airand as a function of irradiation time has been studied using UV-VIS, fluorescence and FT-IR Spectroscopic techniques. The influence of phthalate and terephthalate plasticizers on stability of poly (para-methylstyrene) towards irradiations was also investigated. Blending with phthalate plasticizers was found to cause a higher efficiency of photodegradation than that obtained in doping with terephthalate plasticizers. The intensity of absorption was also found to increase with time of irradiation and in change in the shape of the spectra at longer wavelength, thus indicating a possibility of photodegradation of polymer chains. The analysis of the FT-IR spectra of the irradiated and non-irradiated samples, shows a predominant absorption associated with carbonyl compounds with 1740 cm-1. In addition, the observed increase in the intensities of the carbonyl and hydroxyl regions of the FT-IR spectra, have provided an evidence for the photodegradation as well as photo-oxidation of polymeric chains. The presence of the plasticizer in the polymer backbone was found to accelerate the photodegradation of polymeric chains.
Highlights
The effect of UV irradiation on stability of polystyrene has been studied in details by several workers [1]-[6], How to cite this paper: Al Safi, S.A., Al Mouamin, T.M., Al Sieadi, W.N. and Al Ani, K.E. (2014) Irradiation Effect on Photodegradation of Pure and Plasticized Poly (4-Methylstyrene) in Solid Films
The effect of radiation energy on the efficiency of photochemical processes in films of pure and blended PMS films with 4.0% of phthalates and terephthalates plasticizers were studied by their absorption spectra
Based on the obtained values of fluorescence quenching for the irradiated plasticized and non-plasticized PMS solid films, the following conclusions can be summarized as follows: 1) Irradiation of PMS films in presence of air led to important modification of UV absorption spectra of the exposed sample
Summary
The effect of UV irradiation on stability of polystyrene has been studied in details by several workers [1]-[6], How to cite this paper: Al Safi, S.A., Al Mouamin, T.M., Al Sieadi, W.N. and Al Ani, K.E. (2014) Irradiation Effect on Photodegradation of Pure and Plasticized Poly (4-Methylstyrene) in Solid Films. The effect of UV irradiation on stability of polystyrene has been studied in details by several workers [1]-[6], How to cite this paper: Al Safi, S.A., Al Mouamin, T.M., Al Sieadi, W.N. and Al Ani, K.E. Several studies have been carried out for photodegradation of substituted polystyrene and were found to be of interest for both the theoretical aspects of photo stability and the preparation of new polymers [7]-[12]. During irradiation of polymeric chains in presence of air, excited chromophores are formed followed by other processes, such as chain scission, photooxidation and cross-linking take place [13]-[19]. The chemical structure of substituted vinyl benzene is susceptible to photodegradation through the formation of oxyradicals when exposed to UV irradiation [14] [15]. The quantum energies associated with irradiated light in the UV region are sufficient to break many chemical bonds present in the polymer chromophores [20]
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