Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene/2-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazole-2-yl)-6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-phenol composite microspheres of narrow size distribution for UV irradiation protection

Polystyrene (PS) UV absorber microspheres of narrow size distribution have been prepared in two ways: (1) Entrapment of the UV absorber molecule, 2-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazole-2-yl)-6-(1, 1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-phenol) [TINUVINA (R) 326] within uniform PS template microspheres by swelling these template particles with methylene chloride emulsion droplets containing the TINUVIN, followed by evaporation of the methylene chloride from the swollen PS microspheres. (2) A similar swelling process, substituting the methylene chloride emulsion droplets containing the TINUVIN for methylene chloride emulsion droplets containing the monomers, divinyl benzene (DVB) and styrene (S) and the initiator, benzoyl peroxide and TINUVIN. The monomers within the swollen microspheres were then polymerized by elevating the temperature of the swollen particles to 73 A degrees C. The influence of the weight ratio [TINUVIN]/[PS] on the entrapped percentage of TINUVIN was elucidated. Polyethylene/TINUVIN, PE/(PS/TINUVIN), and PE/(PS/P(S-DVB-TINUVIN)) resins and films were prepared by melt blending of low-density PE with TINUVIN and with the UV absorber microspheres, followed by a tubular blown process. The UV absorption of these composite films was demonstrated. The leakage kinetics of the TINUVIN from these composite films was according to the following order: PE/(PS/P(S-DVB-TINUVIN)) < PE/(PS/TINUVIN) < PE/TINUVIN.