Aging experiments on outdoor composite polymeric materials

Two suggested techniques1, thermal analysis and infra-red spectrophotometrys are used to characterise the deterioration process caused by ultra-violet radiation on polymeric materials. The suggested mechanism of photo-oxidation is presented. A correlation between the depletion of tracking resistance and the oxidation of the polimeric surface was obtained, which was proportional to aging time. Good agreement was obtained, also, between the infra-red spetra with the thermal analysis of new and aged samples; thus, T.A. and I.R. data are presented as two useful tools for characterising polymeric materials which are aged by U.V. radiation.