| Abstract: | Injection-molded talc-filled polypropylene (PP) composites have been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the laboratory for periods up to 26 weeks. The extent of chemical degradation has been assessed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and the results correlated with the mechanical properties. In the early stages of exposure, the photo-oxidation is faster in the talc-filled composites than in the unfilled polymer, but this trend is reversed for exposures longer than ∼12 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) inspection has revealed that surface cracks caused by photodegradation in the filled PP occur in the surface exposed to the UV source only, resulting in much less deterioration in tensile properties when compared with the unfilled polymer which degrades significantly at the unexposed surface also. Measurements of melting temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) gave a consistent picture of degradation with that obtained by FTIR and GPC studies. DSC analyses have also shown that an increase in the melting enthalpy for both the unfilled and filled grades occurs during exposure. |
