The effect of hydroxyarylbenzotriazoles containing a singlet oxygen quenching moiety on the photofading of dyes on a polymer substrate

Numerous potential UV absorbers were synthesized to prolong the life of colorants for printing and imaging systems. The effect of these compounds in reducing photofading was examined on a polymer substrate. The use of a simple UV absorber was not necessarily useful in improving the light fastness of the colorants. Nickel hydroxyphenylbenzotriazolesulfonates, however, markedly suppressed the photofading rate of a triphenylmethane dye. The fading of an xanthene dye was completely depressed in the presence of nickel 2-(5-methyl-2Hbenzotriazol-2-yl) naphthol-4-sulfonate. It is proposed that nickel complexes of hydroxyphenylbenzotriazolesulfonic acid and its derivatives may be used as effective stabilizers in the fading of indicator dyes for printing and imaging systems.