Luminescence spectroscopy, degradation

Stabilisers are usually determined by a time-consuming extraction from the polymer, followed by an IR or UV spectrophotometric measurement on the extract. Most stabilisers are complex aromatic compounds which exhibit intense UV absorption and therefore should show luminescence in many cases. The fluorescence emission spectra of Irgafos 168 and its phosphate degradation product, recorded in hexane at an excitation wavelength of 270 nm, are not spectrally distinct. However, the fluorescence quantum yield of the phosphate greatly exceeds that of the phosphite and this difference may enable quantitation of the phosphate concentration [150]. The application of emission spectroscopy to additive analysis was illustrated for Nonox Cl (/V./V -di-/i-naphthyl-p-phcnylene-diamine) [149] with fluorescence ex/em peaks at 392/490 nm and phosphorescence ex/em at 382/516 nm. Parker and Barnes [151] have reported the use of fluorescence for the determination of V-phenyl-l-naphthylamine and N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine in extracted vulcanised rubber. While pine tar and other additives in the rubber seriously interfered with the absorption spectrophotometric method this was not the case with the fluoromet-ric method. 

Allen and co-workers [29] degraded EVA polymer films containing 17% and 28% vinyl acetate for various times in a hot air oven at 180 "C, and then examined the products by TGA, Fourier-transform infrared (E llR), spectroscopy, luminescence analysis, and carried out measurements of the yellowness index and hydroperoxide content. 

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