Peculiarities of the photoconversion of anthrone in a polyethylene matrix

The authors study the conversion of anthrone in polyethylene (PE) under the action of UV light, and the yield of the cross-linking of PE occuring in this case was determined. The effective occurrence of the reaction in air and the difference of the primary stable photoproducts in the case of irradiation with light with a wavelength 253.7 and more than 300 nm are peculiarities of the photoconversion of anthrone in PE in comparison with solutions. The weak photoinducing ability of anthrone in the case of cross-linking of PE is due to the high effectiveness of the destruction of macroradicals in the reaction with ketyl radicals of anthrone, formed during the photoreduction of the latter.