Study of Degradation Effect on Physical Properties of Methyl Orange Doped PMMA

Abstract

The samples were cast as thin film from homopolymer (PMMA) beforeand after doping with methyl orange at different concentration. The samples wereexposed to UV-radiation for exposure time within (10-50hr) range. These polymersystems were evaluated spectrophotometrically for using the UV-detector. Theabsorption spectra of UV-irradiated samples showed radiation induced absorptionchanges in the wavelength range, which depends on the polymer type and polymercomposites. The increment depends dopant concentration, especially in ultra violetregion in exposed PMMA doped with methyl orange at 6.7×10-2wt/wtconcentration. Decreasing in absorption was found for the cases in which, photodegradation caused surface damage, i.e. crazes or cracks formation, especially atultraviolet region. Calibration curves were drawn at peaks, selected wavelength inthe absorption spectra. The linear regions from the calibration curves were selected,and dosimeter range was determined from the UV-irradiation sample response. Itwas found that PMMA doped with methyl orange at 6.7×10 -2wt/wt concentrationcan be use the UV-detector within range (10-40hr) at the wavelength of (300nm)for its linear response at this range of irradiation.Morphological investigations for the surface damages caused by thermal and photodegradation are detected by optical microscope. It is found that the photodegradation could easily lead to some mechanical surface degradation i. e (crazesand cracks) formation.