Studies on the photooxidation mechanism of polymers. II. The role of quinones as sensitizers in the photooxidative degradation of polystyrene

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Abstract
During the quinone‐sensitized photooxidative degradation of polystyrene film and its solution in benzene, an initial rapid decrease of average molecular weight has been observed by GPC and viscosity measurements. The reaction rates are strongly increased by quinones such as p‐quinone, duroquinone, anthraquinone, and chloranil. It has been suggested that this photosensitized degradation of polystyrene occurs by a singlet oxygen reaction which might be related to an energy transfer mechanism from excited triplet states of quinones to molecular oxygen. The photooxidative degradation of polystyrene in solution can be diminished by addition of typical singlet oxygen quenchers such as 1,3‐cyclohexadiene or β‐carotene.

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