Question

What types of degradations that can take place in polymers and ceramics?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Polymer degradation is a change in the properties of the polymer – such as tensile strength, color, shape, molecular weight – or of a polymer-based product under the influence of one or more environmental factors, such as heat, light, chemicals, or any other applied force.

• Photoinduced degradation:  Electromagnetic waves with the energy of visible light or higher, such as ultraviolet light, X-rays and gamma rays are usually involved in such reactions.
• Thermal degradation: Chain-growth polymers can be degraded by thermolysis at high temperatures to give monomers, oils, gases and water. This kind of degradation can happen by pyrolysis, hydrogenation or gasification:
• Chemical degradation: it can happen through many mechanism such as oxidation, ozone cracking, galvanic actior or Chlorine-induced cracking
• Biological degradation: by microorganisms to give lower molecular weight molecules  

In the case of ceramics, environmental factors are the major cause. There are several ways in which ceramics break down physically and chemically

• Physical degrdation: from mishandling, impacts and abrasion, frost and mold growth
• Chemical degradation: because of water and soluble salts

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