Cage effect under photolysis in polymer matrices

Abstract

Photoinduced elementary reactions of low-MW compounds in polymers is an area of active research. Cured organic polymer coatings often undergo photodegradation by free-radical paths. Besides practical importance, such studies teach how the polymer environment controls elementary free-radical reactions. Presented here is a review of recent literature which reports such studies by product analysis and by a time-resolve technique of photochemical reaction inside the cage of a polymer and in the bulk of a polymer. It was established that application of moderate external magnetic field allows the control of the kinetics of free radicals in elastomers. Preheating and stretching of elastomers affect reactivity of photoproduced radicals.