Ultraviolet absorber

Description

Any substance that absorbs ultraviolet energy. Ultraviolet (UV) absorbers are added to organic materials such as plastics, rubbers, and coatings, to decrease light induced degradation. Examples of UV absorbers are benzophenone, benzotriazoles, substituted acrylonitriles and phenol-nickel complexes (Lewis 1993). UV absorbers usually convert UV energy into heat.

Synonyms and Related Terms

UV absorber; ultraviolet stabilizer

Additional Information

R.de la Rie, "Polymer Stabilizers. A Survey with Reference to Possible Applications in the Conservation Field" Studies in Conservation, 33:9-22,1988.

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 66

• Theodore J. Reinhart, 'Glossary of Terms', Engineered Plastics, ASM International, 1988

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000