Photodegradation of acrylic polymers

The majority of the work on the fundamental processes of photodegradation of acrylic polymers has been carried out by Grassie and co-workers (5-7). For radiation with wavelength A > 300.0 nm photodegradation is initiated by absorption of a photon by the carbonyl group of the ester side chains. Subsequent fragmentation depends on local stereochemistry and temperature. The principal modes of fragmentation are described by the Norrish I and Norrish II processes (8). 

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