CHEMILUMINESCENCE FROM THE DECOMPOSITION OF ALKYL HYPONITRITES IN POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) AND POLYSTYRENE

The kinetics of decay of chemiluminescence (CL) from the decomposition of l-phenylethyl hyponitrite (PEH) and isopropyl hyponitrite (LPH) in poly( methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) films was inve stigated in nonisothermal and isothermal experiments. The measured rat e constants for decay varied by about 20% with changes in initial conc entration, and were about 50% slower than rate constants calculated fr om solution-based activation parameters. The luminescence yields from the hyponitrites in polymer matrices were lowered with increasing hypo nitrite concentration, and also by the presence of low-molecular-weigh t residues or, most spectacularly, by dissolved oxygen. The photosensi tized destruction of IPH by 9,10-dibromoanthracene (DBA) in PMMA was d emonstrated. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.