UV Aging Effects on Polycarbonate Properties

Abstract

This work deals with the effects of ultraviolet (UV) aging on polycarbonate (PC) properties. Thus, a PC was subjected to accelerated UV radiation with a wavelength range from 200 to 280 nm, at different times. Induced changes in the material were studied by UV–visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The material surface was analyzed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Microhardness and uniaxial tension tests were performed on the aged and no-aged materials. It appeared that the studied PC turns yellow with UV aging time, in agreement with UV–visible spectrophotometry results that highlighted a loss in transparency of the aged material. The microhardness measurements showed that PC samples were entirely affected by UV radiations. In addition, the material performances in uniaxial tension dropped with UV aging. The decrease in PC mechanical properties was related to the rupture of the most vulnerable bonds, revealed by FTIR analyses, and to superficial cracks showed by OM and SEM micrographics.