Handbook of Material Weathering

Handbook of Material Weathering, Sixth Edition, is an essential guide to the effects of weathering on polymers and industrial products, presenting theory, stress factors, methods of weathering and testing and the effects of additives and environmental stress cracking. The book provides graphical illustrations and numerical data to examine the weathering of major polymers and industrial products, including mechanisms of degradation, effect of thermal processes, and characteristic changes in properties. The book also discusses recycling, corrosion and weathering, and the weathering of stone. This sixth edition updates this seminal work with recent developments and the latest data.

Polymers and industrial plastics products are widely used in environments where they are vulnerable to the effects of weathering. Weathering stress factors can lead to deterioration or even complete failure. Material durability is therefore vital, and products for outdoor usage or actinic exposure are designed so that the effects of artificial and natural weathering are minimized.

This book is an important reference source for those involved in studying material durability, producing materials for outdoor use and actinic exposure, research chemists in the photochemistry field, chemists and material scientists designing new materials, users of manufactured products, those who control the quality of manufactured products and students who want to apply their knowledge to real materials.

Offers detailed coverage of theory, stress factors and methods of weatheringProvides specific information and numerical data for 52 polymers and 42 groups of industrial products, including characteristic changes and degradation mechanismsDiscusses major additional topics, such as weathered materials for recycling and the interrelation between corrosion and weatheringProvides graphical illustrations and numerical data to examine the weathering of major polymers and industrial products

1. Photophysics 2. Photochemistry 3. Parameters of exposure 4. Measurements in assessment of weathering conditions 5. Climatic conditions 6. Methods of outdoor exposure 7. Laboratory degradation studies 8. Weathering cycles 9. Sample preparation 10. Weathering data interpretation, lifetime prediction 11. Artificial weathering versus natural exposure 12. Effect of weathering on material properties 13. Testing methods of weathered specimen 14. Data on specific polymers 15. Effect of additives on weathering 16. Weathering of Compounded Products 17. Stablization and Stabilizers 18. Biodegradation 19. Recycling 20. Environmental stress cracking 21. Interrelation between corrosion and weathering 22. Weathering of stones