UV Degradation of Nylon 66

I. INTRODUCTION Ultraviolet radiation, either alone or in combination with oxygen, heavy metals, etc. profoundly influences the mechanical behavior of most polymers. Indeed, the preparation of photodegradable resistant polymers, or of additives to prevent or reduce the photodegradation of polymers, have been major fields of investigation. Today, however, the design of polymers that will photodegrade in a controlled manner is gaining importance in view of environmental concerns. An understanding of the photodegradability of polymers is, therefore, of interest.