Influence of light intensity on the photodegradation of bisphenol A polycarbonate

The influence of light intensity on the photodegradation rate and photodegradation mechanisms of an unstabilized BPA-PC film was studied by irradiating the BPA-PC samples with a wavelength distribution comparable to terrestrial sunlight and varying irradiation intensities. The highest intensity used was comparable to maximum summer irradiance in Miami. The degradation rates and mechanisms were determined using IR, UV and fluorescence spectroscopy. A linear relationship between the irradiation intensity and the photodegradation, according to the reciprocity law, was found. It was also found that the irradiation intensity has no influence on the overall degradation mechanisms.