ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 19, Number 6
JKCSEZ 19(6)
December 20, 1975 

The photodegradation of polystyrene and polyethylene was studied utilizing several additives to promote photooxidation. Polymer films with small amount of additives were irradiated with ultraviolet lamps in Rayonet Photochemical Reactor. The progress of photodegradation was followed by measuring the intensities of carbonyl and hydroxyl stretching bands in infrared spectra as well as the viscosity changes. It was found that the increase of carbonyl or hydroxyl peaks was proportional to the decrease of the molecular weight of polymers under study. Iron(Ⅱ, Ⅲ) complexes of dithiocarbamate and their analogs showed good results.