Polymer Degradation and Stability

期刊简介：Polymer Degradation and Stability deals with the degradation reactions and their control which are a major preoccupation of practitioners of the many and diverse aspects of modern polymer technology.Deteriorative reactions occur during processing, when polymers are subjected to heat, oxygen and mechanical stress, and during the useful life of the materials when oxygen and sunlight are the most important degradative agencies. In more specialised applications, degradation may be induced by high energy radiation, ozone, atmospheric pollutants, mechanical stress, biological action, hydrolysis and many other influences. The mechanisms of these reactions and stabilisation processes must be understood if the technology and application of polymers are to continue to advance. The reporting of investigations of this kind is therefore a major function of this journal.However there are also new developments in polymer technology in which degradation processes find positive applications. For example, photodegradable plastics are now available, the recycling of polymeric products will become increasingly important, degradation and combustion studies are involved in the definition of the fire hazards which are associated with polymeric materials and the microelectronics industry is vitally dependent upon polymer degradation in the manufacture of its circuitry. Polymer properties may also be improved by processes like curing and grafting, the chemistry of which can be closely related to that which causes physical deterioration in other circumstances.

【译文】聚合物降解与稳定性处理的是降解反应及其控制，这是现代聚合物技术众多方面实践者关注的重点。在加工过程中，当聚合物受到热、氧气和机械应力时，以及在使用寿命期间，氧气和阳光是降解的最重要因素。在更专业的应用中，降解可能由高能辐射、臭氧、大气污染物、机械应力、生物作用、水解和许多其他因素引起。要使聚合物技术和应用继续进步，必须了解这些反应和稳定化过程的机制。因此，这类研究的报告是本期刊的主要功能。然而，聚合物技术中也有新的发展，其中降解过程有积极的应用。例如，光降解塑料现在可用，聚合物产品的回收将变得越来越重要，降解和燃烧研究涉及定义与聚合物材料和微电子行业相关的火灾危害。聚合物的性能也可以通过如固化、接枝等过程得到改善，这些过程的化学性质与其他情况下引起物理退化的化学性质密切相关。