New method for accelerated testing of the aging behavior of polymeric materials as a function of radiation and temperature

A new method is described for accelerated testing of the aging behavior of polymeric materials depending on simulated solar radiation in UV and sample temperature. A flat sample is exposed to a matrix of many pairs of values of UV irradiance (initiates photochemical reactions without temperature increase) and IR irradiance (defined heating of the sample without photochemical effects). Thus, in one and the same experiment, a matrix of property changes is obtained depending on a variety of defined value pairs of UV irradiance and sample temperature. The forced coupling of photochemical primary reactions and sample temperature in both practical use and in existing accelerated weathering is eliminated. This is a considerable economic advantage compared to the existing test methods, in which only one combination of irradiance and sample temperature is realized in one and the same weathering device.