Abstract
Polymer-protected silver reflectors offer one means to decrease the cost of solar concentrators by providing a flexible, light-weight mirror. However, degradation of the optical performance by ultraviolet (UV) light is currently one of the principal barriers in the development of silver/polymer films for solar thermal applications. Empirical evidence has demonstrated that poly(methyl methacrylate) can be a stable polymer in a terrestrial environment, but the polymer does not provide adequate protection for the silver reflector. We have demonstrated that low molecular weight UV stabilizers added to the polymer improve the weatherability of mirrors. We have found that the permanence of the stabilizers may limit mirror durability, and that the stabilizer performance slowly diminishes because of photolysis and/or leaching and removal from the host polymer. Polymeric stabilizers are of interest on the basis that they will not leach from the host. Various polymeric UV-absorbing stabilizers have been synthesized from derivatives of 2-hydroxybenzophenone and 2-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole. The relative effectiveness of the stabilizers in acrylic glazings will be discussed in terms of the weathering modes and retention of optical properties.
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