Assessment of the Ageing and Durability of Polymers

Dear Colleagues,

The ageing and degradation of polymeric materials, and their stability against external—possibly harsh—agents, fire and mechanical stresses, represent a fundamental issue for any application involving polymers. Although polymers are believed to be “everlasting materials”, they actually experience degradation during their service life, resulting in an appreciable modification in their properties.

The durability of a polymeric material can be defined as its average lifetime under the in-service conditions. It depends on several parameters—the most important being the type of polymer, the process used to manufacture and apply it, the usage and load regime, and the kind and level of environmental exposure.

Due to the wide selection of polymers (thermoplastic, semi-crystalline and amorphous, cross-linked, thermosetting, elastomers, natural and biodegradable polymers, composites and nano-composites, etc.), to the variety of their applications and utilization, and to the variability of involved stresses and exposure regimes, despite the extensive attention devoted to the durability of polymers, several issues are still open. These include: the most appropriate methods and procedures to foresee their long-term performance, the reliability of standard accelerated ageing tests, and the identification of ageing and degradation mechanisms taking place under complex and coupled mechanical–environmental conditions and/or in the event of fire, stabilization procedures and protection against fire.

This Topical Collection aims at providing a platform for the discussion of open issues, challenges, and achievements when analyzing the chemical ageing, degradation routes, and durability features of different polymers and the possibility of making reliable previsions for their long-term performance.

Prof. Dr. Mariaenrica Frigione
Topical Collection Editor
Journal Editorial Board Member