STUDIES ON THE BEHAVIOR OF PHOTODEGRADATION OF POLY(CYCLOHEXYLMETHYLSILANE)

The fluorescence spectra of poly(cyclohexylmethylsilane) (PCHMS) solut ions or films before and after ultraviolet irradiation in air were stu died. The experimental results showed that the positions of the fluore sence peaks shift to shorter wavelength and the fluorescence intensiti es decrease gradually with increasing UV irradiation time. The results of UV spectra, GPC and ESCA, and IR spectra of PCHMS solutions or fil ms upon UV exposure in air indicate that these phenomena are in accord ance with a combined process of photodegradation and photo-oxidation, which lead to a decrease of the molecular weights and formation of sil oxane structures in the polysilane main chains.