The Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Wattability of Silicone Polymers

The effect of UV radiation in air on the wettability of silicone polymers was studied by measuring the contact angles. From the contact-angle data, the surface energies were also calculated. As the irradiation progressed, the surface energy of the polar component increased, while the surface energy of the dispersive component remained constant, for all the samples. This increase in surface energy is attributable to a surface photooxidation of the silicone polymers. Especially, poly(diphenylsiloxane) showed a remarkable increase in the surface energy of the polar component after the irradiation.