Photoluminescence in polypropylene induced by ultraviolet laser irradiation

We have measured luminescence spectra induced in polypropylene by irradiation of photons from an ArF excimer laser and synchrotron radiation in order to examine the photo-induced chemical reactions in polypropylene. The luminescence spectrum and its kinetics have been measured as a function of irradiation time of the excimer laser under different irradiation atmospheres (air, O/sub 2/, and vacuum). The important result obtained is that the luminescence component around 4 eV decreases with an increase in irradiation time irrespective of the irradiation atmosphere. The luminescence component around 3 eV increases with an increase in irradiation time only in the case that the laser irradiation was done in vacuum. These results suggest that different chemical groups are induced depending on the irradiation atmosphere.