The photodegradable properties and characteristics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers were studied experimentally. Some important mechanical parameters under ultraviolet radiation were measured, such as the elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, fracture strength, and stress-strain relation. Microscopic structural characteristics of photodegradable PMMA were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy. Also, a functionally graded material of PMMA was fabricated with a photodegradable method and characterized. These results were found to have an important role in evaluating the photodegradable properties of PMMA materials and in developing their engineering applications. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.