Gunther Kampf

Studies in accelerated weathering: Part I. Determination of the activation spectrum of photodegradation in polymers

Abstract The increasing outdoor use of plastics and polymer coatings requires the development and production of polymers with increased weathering resistance. This paper summarizes knowledge of the primary processes of photodegradation, emphasizing the significance of the wavelength of the incoming light. The various well-established methods of determining the activation spectrum of photodegradation in relation to the type of damage caused are also discussed, and an introduction and discussion provided to a new and very fast method of evaluating the primary processes of photodegradation in which the radical concentration in a polymer is determined as a function of the time period for constant irradiation.