ChemTec Publishing Handbook of UV Degradation and Stabilization

This book, the first monograph fully devoted to UV degradation and stabilization ever published in English language, has 12 chapters, each discussing different aspect of UV related phenomena occurring when polymeric materials are exposed to UV radiation. In the introduction the existing literature has been reviewed to find out how plants, animals and humans protect themselves against UV radiation. This review permits evaluation of mechanisms of protection against UV used by living things and potential application of these mechanisms in protection of natural and synthetic polymeric materials. Photophysics, discussed in the second chapter, helps to build understanding of physical phenomena occurring in materials when they are exposed to UV radiation. Potentially useful stabilization methods become obvious from the analysis of photophysics of the process. These effects are combined with photochemical properties of stabilizers and their mechanisms of stabilization, which is the subject of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 contains information on available UV stabilizers. It contains a sest of data prepared according to a systematic outline as listed in the Table of Contents. Stability of UV stabilizers, important for predicting lifetime of their protection is discussed in Chapter 5. Different reasons of instability are pointed out in evaluation. Principles of stabilizer selection are given in Chapter 6. Ten areas of influence of stabilizer properties and expectations from the final products were selected for discussion in this chapter. Chapters 7 and 8 give specific information on degradation and stabilization of different polymers & rubbers and final products manufactured from them, respectively. Over 50 polymers and rubbers are discussed in different sections of Chapter 7 and 38 groups of final products, which use majority of UV stabilizers are discussed in Chapter 8. In addition, more focused information is provided in Chapter 9 for sunscreens. This is example of new developments in technology. The subjects discussed in each individual case of polymer or group of products are given in Table of Contents. Specific effects of UV stabilizers which may affect formulation because of interaction between UV stabilizers and other components of formulations are discussed in Chapter 10. Analytical methods, which are most frequently used in UV stabilization, are discussed in Chapter 11 to show their potential in further understanding of UV degradation and stabilization. The book is concluded with the effect of UV stabilizers on the health and safety of workers involved in their processing and commercial use of the products (Chapter 12).