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Polymer degradation is the reduction in the physical properties of a polymer, such as strength, caused by changes in its chemical composition. Polymers and particularly plastics are subject to degradation at all stages of their product life cycle , including during their initial processing, use, disposal into the environment and recycling. [ 1 ]
When exiting a reactor after a polymerization reaction, many polymers still contain undesired low-molecular weight components. These component may make the product unusable for further processing (for example, a polymer solution cannot directly be used for plastics processing), may be toxic, may cause bad sensory properties such as an unpleasant smell or worsen the properties of the polymer.
In polymers, such as plastics, thermal degradation refers to a type of polymer degradation where damaging chemical changes take place at elevated temperatures, without the simultaneous involvement of other compounds such as oxygen. [1] [2] Simply put, even in the absence of air, polymers will begin to degrade if heated high enough. It is ...
To determine whether a polymer will undergo surface or bulk erosion, the degradation rate of the polymer in water (how fast the polymer reacts to water) and the rate of diffusion of water penetrating through the material must be considered. If the degradation process is faster than the diffusion process, surface erosion will occur since the ...
Polymer degradation is a change in the properties—tensile strength, color, shape, or molecular weight—of a polymer or polymer-based product under the influence of one or more environmental factors, such as heat, light, and the presence of certain chemicals, oxygen, and enzymes.
Polymer degradation, polymer weathering and environmental stress cracking - discuss the natural degradation of polymers; Chemically Assisted Degradation of Polymers and weather testing of polymers - discuss the accelerated degradation of polymers; Biodegradable additives - are additives that enhance the biodegradation of polymers; Other ...
Plastic degradation in marine bacteria describes when certain pelagic bacteria break down polymers and use them as a primary source of carbon for energy. Polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are incredibly useful for their durability and relatively low cost of production, however it is their persistence and difficulty to be properly ...
Depolymerization is a very common process. Digestion of food involves depolymerization of macromolecules, such as proteins.It is relevant to polymer recycling.Sometimes the depolymerization is well behaved, and clean monomers can be reclaimed and reused for making new plastic.