| Abstract: | A number of additives previously observed to promote photo-oxidative degradation of polyethylene films have been evaluated with respect to their relative photoinitiating effectiveness at wavelengths near 300 nm and their effects on thermal-oxidative stability of polyethylene. Depending on the nature of the additive, the photo-oxidation process may display autoretarding or autoaccelerating behavior. Thermomechanical analyses and gel content measurements on UV-exposed films containing substituted anthraquinones suggest that at short exposure times, photo-oxidative degradation is accompanied by photochemical crosslinking. |
