Enhancing Photostability of Chemically Modified Poly(Vinyl Chloride) through the Incorporation of Organotin Moieties on the Polymeric Chains

The surface functionalization through the incorporation of an organometallic moiety on the backbone of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was successful. The reaction of ethylenediamine and PVC tetrahydrofuran produces an amino residue that reacts with 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde to form the corresponding Schiff base. The addition of triorganotin compounds leads to the attachment of organometallic residues to the polymeric chains. The synthetic approach circumvents the need for separate steps for chemical synthesis, separation and purification of additives. Thin films of the modified PVC were made and irradiated with UV light to test the effect of modification on their photostability using different methods, including infrared spectroscopy, weight loss, and surface morphology analysis. Infrared spectroscopy monitored changes in the polymer’s chemical structure, while weight loss measurements quantified degradation. Surface morphology, likely analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), revealed the extent of surface damage before and after UV irradiation. The results indicated that the organometallic modification, particularly with aromatic groups, significantly improved the photostability of PVC. The modified PVC film containing the triphenyl tin-Schiff base exhibited the least destructive damage due to photoirradiation. The aromatic substituent stabilized PVC better than the aliphatic ones. The findings pave the way for alternative ways of PVC modification to improve photostability. The results confirmed that the organometallic modification, especially with aromatic groups, significantly enhanced the photostability of PVC, offering a promising alternative method for PVC modification to improve its durability under UV irradiation. These findings pave the way for future advancements in PVC stabilization and related polymer modifications for improved environmental resistance. HIGHLIGHTS This article focused on Photostabilization on new modify polymers Polymers react with tin compounds to increase the efficiency of photochemical process Many techniques were used in this study, such as: AFM, SEMand FTIR GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT