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Degradation of Poly(butyl acrylate) and Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Model Compounds Under Extreme Environmental Conditions
Author(s) -
Bennet Francesca,
Barker Philip J.,
Davis Thomas P.,
Soeriyadi Alexander H.,
BarnerKowollik Christopher
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201000133
Subject(s) - degradation (telecommunications) , polymer , polymer chemistry , methacrylate , acrylate , butyl acrylate , materials science , irradiation , coating , chemistry , chemical engineering , copolymer , composite material , telecommunications , physics , computer science , nuclear physics , engineering
The degradation of low‐MW ( $\overline {M} _{n} $ = 1 500 g · mol −1 ) model compounds of pBA and pHEMA were studied under conditions corresponding to the worst‐case temperatures and irradiation intensities likely to be experienced by a surface coating exposed to the harsh Australian environment. Vinyl‐terminated polymers were compared to their saturated analogues; the terminal vinyl bond was found to be a source of instability which rendered the polymers more susceptible to degradation. The cyclic degradation mechanism derived from degradation of pMMA in our previous publication is also relevant to pBA and pHEMA. In addition, pBA and pHEMA are susceptible to other degradation and crosslinking reactions; crosslinking is particularly rapid in pHEMA exposed to UV radiation.