PHOTO-OXIDATION OF POLYETHYLENE .2. ROLE OF CONJUGATED DIENE AND TRIENE IN INITIATION OF PHOTO-OXIDATION OF LDPE

Study of the u.v. spectrum of a LdPE sample reveals the presence of conjugated dienes and trienes which react easily with oxygen photochemically or thermally. We studied the oxidation of these structures during storage in the dark at ambient temperature, and the consequences of this process on the photooxidative stability of the samples. The primary products of interaction between the polyenes and oxygen (adduct or charge transfer complex) are important in the photoinitiation of the oxidation. © 1979.