Degradation can be detected before serious cracks are seen in a product by using infrared spectroscopy, which is able to detect chemical species formed by photo-oxidation. In particular, peroxy-species and carbonyl groups have distinct absorption bands.
In the example shown at left, carbonyl groups were easily detected by IR spectroscopy from a cast thin film. The product was a road cone made by rotational moulding in LDPE, which had cracked prematurely in service. Many similar cones also failed because an anti-UV additive had not been used during processing. Other plastic products which failed included polypropylene mancabs used at roadworks which cracked after service of only a few months.
The effects of degradation can also be characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For example, through SEM, defects like cracks and pits can be directly visualized, as shown at right. These samples were exposed to 840 hours of exposure to UV light and moisture using a test chamber. Crack formation is often associated with degradation, such that materials that do not display significant cracking behavior, such as HDPE in the right example, are more likely to be stable against photooxidation compared to other materials like LDPE and PP. However, some plastics that have undergone photooxidation may also appear smoother in an SEM image, with some defects like grooves having disappeared afterwards. This is seen in polystyrene in the right example.