- Author
- Martin, J. W.
- Title
- Quantitative Characterization of Spectral Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Photodegradation in Coating Systems Exposed in the Laboratory and the Field.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Journal
- Progress in Organic Coatings, Vol. 23, 49-70, 1993
- Keywords
- ultraviolet radiation | photodegradation | coatings | total effective dose | mathematical evaluation
- Abstract
- Experimental and mathematical procedures used by the coatings and polymeric building materials community for characterizing the photodegradation effects of UV radiation are compared with those used in the medical, biological, and agricultural communities. In these other disciplines, field and laboratory photodegradation data are related through total effective dosage, which is derived from the cumulative spectral UV irradiance to which a material is exposed and the material's absorption and quantum yield parameters. Total effective dosage has been shown to be a good predictor of human response to solar UV radiation. The mathematical basis for determining the total effective dosage and the assumptions underlying its computation are reviewed. The intent of this presentation is to identify methods for improving the design of laboratory and field experiments for evaluating photodegradation in coatings and other building material systems.