Kinetics study of photo-degradation of poly(Vinyl Chloride) films in presence of organotin(IV) complex derivatives

As polymers became very important in our lives, their negative impact on general health and the environment raised a serious issue. Here, enhancing their life term is presented as a compromise solution between the need and harm. In the study, six PVC films, the plain and five filled with improvers, underwent radiation exposure for 300 hours at room temperature to investigate their photodegradation rates. The modified films were embedded with organotin(IV) complex derivatives (Ph₃SnL, Ph₂SnL₂, Bu₃SnL, Bu₂SnL₂, and Me₂SnL₂ (where L is levofloxacin)), and their effectiveness was evaluated. The PVC films were compared before and after exposure to various tests including UV-Vis spectroscopy, gel content analysis, theoretical calculations, and EDX microscopy. Findings indicated that the presence of organotin(IV) complex derivatives, particularly Ph₃SnL, notably decreased UV light absorbance and the amount of gel content in PVC sheets in comparison to untreated PVC. Furthermore, EDX analysis showed that the PVC-Ph₃SnL blend exposed to radiation exhibited the highest chlorine content, reaching 30 %. This blend demonstrated superior efficacy in stabilizing the polymeric materials.