Surface properties of styrene-b-acrylic acid copolymers obtained in emulsion and suitable ionomers before and after UV-irradiation were studied by measurements of contact angles and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The research focused on the influence of different content of carboxylic acid groups in copolymers, of various types and contents of alkali metal salts in ionomers and of cesium acrylate or methacrylate in ionomers on hydrophilicity of the surfaces of these samples and the course of photodegradation in them. Hydrophilicity of initial copolymer surfaces was higher than this of polystyrene as a result of presence of carboxylic acid groups, which also made the surfaces of these copolymers more sensitive to UV-irradiation. Hydrophilicity of the surfaces of ionomers containing cesium acrylates depended on the content of cesium salt in the samples. The course of ionomer photooxidation was also dependent on the content of this salt. The surface of ionomer containing cesium methacrylate was more polar than this of ionomer containing cesium acrylate. Styrene-based ionomers containing 3.7 mol% of various alkali metal acrylates had less polar surfaces than initial copolymer and they were also more resistant to UV-irradiation in comparison to the initial copolymer. Copolymers obtained in emulsion and suitable ionomers had more polar surfaces and they were more sensitive to UV-light compared to copolymers obtained in bulk and their ionomers. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.