Kinetic study of hindered amine light stabilizer photografting in low density polyethylene films under natural weathering conditions

Abstract

AbstractThe photografting kinetic of a hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) was studied in low density polyethylene (LDPE) films under natural weathering conditions. The HALS (PBH‐3) was added to the polymer at a concentration of 0.3% (w/w). The photografting kinetic of polymer bound HALS (PBH‐3) was determined by direct spectroscopic measurements through the absorption band area of the stabilizer centered at 308 nm in the UV spectra and 1605 cm−1 in Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectra, which correspond to benzylidene malonate ester and benzylidene malonic groups, respectively. In parallel, measurements were carried out on the free PBH‐3 content after chloroform extraction of the photostabilizer from the polymer matrix by means of UV and gas chromatography methods. The results showed that in natural weathering the grafting of PBH‐3 occurred in the LDPE film after very short exposure times of 127 and 168 h as determined by UV and FTIR, respectively. Moreover, the curves describing both the photografting and the free HALS kinetics exhibited similar profiles. The mechanism of photografting implies a rapid photoreaction between the methylenic double bond of the stabilizer and the macroalkyl radicals of the polymer, resulting in formation of polymer‐bonded aminyl derivatives of the stabilizer. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 1524–1532, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10492