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Mathematical modeling of weather‐induced degradation of polymer properties
Author(s) -
Hamid S. H.,
Prichard W. H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1991.070430404
Subject(s) - linear low density polyethylene , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , humidity , crystallinity , composite material , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , degradation (telecommunications) , environmental science , ultimate tensile strength , polymer , meteorology , chemical engineering , thermodynamics , physics , telecommunications , computer science , engineering
Weather‐induced degradation of polymer properties is caused by all the factors of weather, which include solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind, rain, environmental pollutants, thermal cycling (cold night and hot days), and sand abrasion. Linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) is exposed to natural weather, and degradation is monitored by the mechanical properties testing system, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Three mathematical models were developed with weather parameters as independent parameters and mechanical property (tensile strength), chemical change (carbonyl growth), and thermal property (percent crystallinity) as dependent parameters. The mechanical property was found to be more dependent on the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the total solar radiation, chemical change was found to be synergestically effected by UV and total solar radiation, and change in thermal property was because of UV, total solar radiation, and temperature. Humidity and other weather parameters were found to play a less significant role in the weather‐induced degradation of LLDPE properties.