Ultraviolet Light Absorbers Benzophenone

Polystyrene light stabilization has been achieved with a variety of ulfravioler absorbers including the benzophenones, benzotriazoles. and salicylates. While yellowing of polystyrene occurs in many applications, it is particularly noticeable in diffusers used with fluorescent lights. This problem has been effectively solved by using ultraviolet light absorbers. In this instance, superior stabilization is achieved when the ultraviolet absorber is used in conjunction wirh specific antioxidants. 

K. Shuhaibar and F. A. Rasoul. Ultraviolet light absorbing benzotriazolyl-benzophenone compounds and their copolymerizable derivatives. GB Patent 2232667, assigned to Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait, December 19, 1990. 

Topical medications useful in protecting against sunlight contain either chemical compounds that absorb ultraviolet light, called sunscreens, or opaque materials such as titanium dioxide that reflect light, called sunshades. The three classes of chemical compounds most commonly used in sunscreens are p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and its esters, the benzophenones, and the dibenzoylmethanes. 

The stabilizers chosen for evaluation include different types of heat and light stabilizers selected to represent different mechanisms of action as well as chemical compositions (ArJi). Types of stabilizers evaluated include benzotriazole and benzophenone light stabilizers [ultraviolet (UV) light absorbers], hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS, catalytic radical scavengers), hindered phenol heat stabilizers (antioxidant radical scavengers), and thioester heat stabilizers (antioxidant hydroperoxide decomposers). 

Light stabilizers. These are usually compounds which absorb ultraviolet light, in order to avoid degradation of the polymer by radiation. Products derived from benzophenone are typically used as light stabilizers. 

Benzophenone-2 is usually preferred over benzophenone-11 because it is a single component, whereas benzophenone-11 is a mixture of benzophenone-6, benzophenone-2, and other tetrasubstituted benzophe-nones. Most of these ultraviolet absorbers can be used in the vicinity of 0.05 to 0.2% concentration for effective protection against degradation by ultraviolet light. 

Triazoles, such as phenylbenzotriazole, naphthylbenzotriazole, and related compounds, such as benzophenone are UV absorbers. A particularly well-known group of ultraviolet stabilizers are hydroxyphenylbenzo-triazole-based compounds. However, UV light stabilizers of this type are often lost from the product into which they are incorporated by leaching or hy evaporation. To overcome these difficulties, efforts have been directed towards chemically incorporating the ultraviolet light stabilizer into the polymeric backbone of the material to be protected. ... 

Since acetal resins are degraded by ultra violet light, additives may be included to improve the resistance of the polymer. Carbon black is effective but as in the case of polyethylene it must be well dispersed in the polymer. The finer the particle size the better the ultra violet stability of the polymer but the poorer the heat stability. About 1.5% is generally recommended. For white compounds and those with pastel colours titanium dioxide is as good in polyacetals as most transparent ultraviolet absorbers, such as the benzophenone derivatives and other materials discussed in Chapter 7. Such ultraviolet absorbers may be used for compounds that are neither black, white nor pastel shade in colour. 

The photodegradation of synthetic polymers can be considerably reduced upon addition of ultraviolet stabilizers. The UV stabilizers (preferably derivatives of o-hydroxy-benzophenone or of 2-(2 -hydroxys -methylphenyl)benzotriazole (Tinuvin) transform the absorbed light energy into thermal energy thus preventing all sorts of photochemically initiated reactions. For review articles see the papers of Otter-stedt (.l), Heller and Blattmann ( 2, 2), Kloepffer (jl, j ), Gysling (JS) and Trozzolo (19 ) ... 

Tests for a large number of different compoimds capable of absorbing ultraviolet have shown that a tendency for sensitization is also possessed by certain compounds that possess no labile hydrogen in the molecule. They include, for example, benzophenone, which is characterized by localization of the absorbed light energy in flie carbonyl group. This... 

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