The photodegradation of cis-1,4-polybutadiene, polystyrenebutadiene and polyisoprene

The photodegradation of the synthetic rubbers cis-1,4-polybutadiene, polystyrenebutadiene and polyisoprene was studied. The chemical structure of the polymers as well as the effect of changing the solvent and the additive were particularly taken into consideration. The polychloroprene rubber in this study was irradiated either as a film or in solution. The presence of methylene blue affects the endothermic peaks observed in its differential scanning calorimetry diagrams. Methylene blue acts as a photostabilizer dye in solutions and films of polychloroprene. Mixtures of methylene blue, β-carotene as a singlet oxygen quencher and Fmbanox as a known anti-oxidant showed synergystic behaviour.