Study of the Impact of UV-Radiation on Prepared Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin

The effect of UV-radiation on the physical properties of prepared phenol formaldehyde resin was investigated. The resin was prepared by the reaction of phenol with formaldehyde in basic medium, then different resin to chloroform ratio were exposed to UV-radiation for 12 hours. Some physical parameters, like viscosity, refractive index and turbidity, were measured for the resin solutions before and after irradiation. The results of the study revealed that UV-radiation causes conversion of the linear polymer chains into a cross-linked network structure with a high molecular mass