Photodegradation And Light Stabilization Of Heterochain Polymers

Photodegradation and light stabilization are very important aspects of polymer aging. Polymer degradation includes different types of processes: thermodegradation, oxidation, acting of ozone, photodegradation, radiation, hydrolysis, mechanical degradation, and biodegradation. It is very important to know the mechanism of polymer degradation in order to select stabilizers against the degradation. This volume presents the analysis of achievements in the field of photodegradation of polymers. It includes, first of all, data of Russian investigators who have decisively contributed in the development of this field of knowledge (the schools headed by academicians V.V. Korshak, N.M. Emanuel, N.S. Enikolopov, A.A. Berlin, and many others).

Photodegradation and light stabilization are very important aspects of polymer aging. Polymer degradation includes different types of processes: thermodegradation, oxidation, acting of ozone, photodegradation, radiation, hydrolysis, mechanical degradation and biodegradation. It is very important to know the mechanism of polymer degradation in order to select stabilizers against the degradation. This volume presents the analysis of recent achievements in the field of photodegradation of polymers. It includes, first of all, data of Russian investigators who have decisively contributed in the development of this field of knowledge (the schools headed by academicians V.V. Korshak, N.M. Emanuel, N.S. Enikolopov, A.A. Berlin and many others).

Photodegradation and light stabilization are very important aspects of polymer aging. Polymer degradation includes different types of processes: thermodegradation, oxidation, acting of ozone, photodegradation, radiation, hydrolysis, mechanical degradation, and biodegradation. It is very important to know the mechanism of polymer degradation in order to select stabilizers against the degradation. This volume presents the analysis of achievements in the field of photodegradation of polymers. It includes, first of all, data of Russian investigators who have decisively contributed in the development of this field of knowledge (the schools headed by academicians V.V. Korshak, N.M. Emanuel, N.S. Enikolopov, A.A. Berlin, and many others).

Photochemical reactions are the main class of chemical processes. These processes provide for life on Earth, since due to photochemical processes, plants absorb carbon oxide from the atmosphere changing them into the "meal" for all creatures on Earth. Together with "good" photochemical processes there are some "bad" as well. This book is about photodestruction and light stabilisation and is devoted to these processes. For example, the heterochain polymers. They are the main class of large-tonnage polymers, which are used for manning a great variety of polymer and composite materials (including nanocomposites).

During the last two decades, the production of polymers and plastics has been increasing rapidly. In spite of developing new polymers and polymeric materials, only 40~60 are used commercially on a large scale. It has been estimated that half of the annual production of polymers is employed outdoors. The photochemical instability of most polymers limits their outdoor application as they are photodegraded quickly over periods from months to a few years. To the despair of technologists and consumers alike, photodegradation and environmental ageing of polymers occur much faster than can be expected from knowledge collected in laboratories. In order to improve polymer photostability there has been a very big effort during the last 30 years to understand the mechanisms involved in photodegradation and environmental ageing. This book represents the author's attempt, based on his 25 years' experience in research on photodegradation and photo stabilization, to collect and generalize a number of available data on the photodegradation of polymers. The space limitation and the tremendous number of publications in the past two decades have made a detailed presentation of all important results and data difficult. The author apologizes to those whose work has not been quoted or widely presented in this book. Because many published results are very often contradictory, it has been difficult to present a fully critical review of collected knowledge, without antagonizing authors. For that reason, all available theories, mechanisms and different suggestions have been presented together, and only practice can evaluate which of them are valid.

This book delineates the scientific principles of design and fabrication of packaging materials for food as well as methods for structural modification and other techniques. It describes the main practical properties and applications of polymer materials and highlights the analysis of all processes taking place during formations and destruction of

In this book on physical characteristics and practical aspects of polymer photodegradation Rabek emphasizes the experimental work on the subject. The most important feature of the book is the physical interpretation of polymer degradation, e.g. mechanism of UV/light absorption, formation of excited states, energy transfer mechanism, kinetics, dependence on physical properties of macromolecules and polymer matrices, formation of mechanical defects, practics during environmental ageing. He includes also some aspects of polymer photodegradation in environmental and space condition.