Applications of thermogravimetry and PAS-FTIR in the characterization of silicone sealants

Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic (PASFTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetry (TG) havebeen used to study the effects of exposure of silicone sealants to water in the presence and absence ofUV-radiation. The silicone sealants were found to be fairly resistant to the two types of weathering conditions for the duration of the exposure (8000 hours). Only a small increase in the hydroxyl absorption band was observed by PAS-FTIR. No substantial changes in weight loss were observed using thermogravimetry.