Photo-oxidation of polystyrene film irradiated with UV-B

Abstract

Polystyrene films were exposed to UV-B radiation during 2, 5Abstract, 7, 9 and 13 days, whose effects were evaluated by infrared spectroscopy, IR, with attenuated total reflectance, ATR. The infrared spectra of the films exposed to the UV-B radiation presented an increase in the absorbance in different bands and regions, like, the band at 2847-2975 cm‑1, CH vibration, the region from the 3050-3150 cm‑1, CH of the aromatic ring; this increasing in absorbance indicates that the polystyrene films are undergoing an oxidation reaction due to UV-B radiation; in the same way, the band at 1452 cm‑1, CH2 group, presents an increase in absorbance; while, the bands of 700 and 760 cm‑1, aromatic ring, show a decrease. Therefore, using UV-B irradiation it is possible to change the molecular structures of polystyrene films.