A chemo-thermo-mechanically coupled theory of photo-reacting polymers: Application to modeling photo-degradation with irradiation-driven heat transfer

Recent years have seen extensive research on advanced materials, including stimuli-responsive, renewable/degradable, multi-functional materials, and more, offering opportunities for advances in engineering technology. In general, these materials are expected to undergo chemical reactions during their service life. This work formulates a comprehensive thermodynamically consistent, frame-indifferent, photo-chemo-thermo-mechanically coupled theory for photo-reacting polymers undergoing large deformations, with the ability to model irradiation-driven heat transfer. The theory is specialized for photo-degrading polymers subjected to stress while undergoing degradation, and simulations have been used to demonstrate its capabilities.