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Studies on oxidative photodegradation of epoxy resins by IR‐ATR spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Zhang G.,
Pitt W. G.,
Goates S. R.,
Owen N. L.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1994.070540402
Subject(s) - photodegradation , epoxy , degradation (telecommunications) , photochemistry , polymer , materials science , scanning electron microscope , decomposition , spectroscopy , polymer chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , composite material , catalysis , telecommunications , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science
This article describes studies on oxidative‐photodegradation of cured Epolite epoxy resin using techniques of IR spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance optics and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the oxidative‐photodegradation of this epoxy system is characterized by the formation and subsequent decomposition of carbonyl groups and by epoxy ring opening. The carbonyl bonds are apparently formed in the initial stage of photodegradation and then decomposed upon further aging. Changes in the surface morphology of the samples during degradation suggest that there is significant scissioning of the cross‐linked polymer structure. This phenomenon was reproduced using three different UV lamps that differed in spectral properties. Our studies provide clues to the mechanism of epoxy polymer degradation by solar light. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.