Poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, has many attractive properties, including low cost of manufacture, resistance to acid and alkali corrosion, and ease of molding. However, PVC suffers from aging in harsh conditions, leading to the shortening of its useful life. Stability to irradiation, for example, can be improved through the incorporation of additives to PVC. The design, synthesis, and application of new stabilizers continue to attract attention. The current work investigates the effect of three tin-cephalexin complexes on the stability of PVC on irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light (λ = 313 nm) at 25 °C for a long duration. The PVC was blended with tin-cephalexin complexes at low concentrations (0.5% by weight), and thin films (around 40 µm) were made from the mixed materials. Various methods, including weight loss, infrared spectroscopy, and surface inspection of irradiated films were used to investigate the role played by these additives in the inhibition of PVC photodecomposition. The results confirmed that the additives led to a significant reduction in the rate of photodecomposition of the PVC blends. Tin-cephalexin complexes can absorb harmful radiation, deactivate hydrogen chloride, and scavenge high-energy species such as peroxides, therefore acting as stabilizers for PVC.
Keywords: photodegradation; photostability; poly(vinyl chloride); surface morphology; tin–cephalexin complexes; weight loss.