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 ... click here for full Aims & Scope
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.
Radiation of various kinds is
used to initiate many of these modern technological processes so that polymer photochemistry has come to a new prominence and finds a
major place in this journal.
The study of all these processes has made extensive use of modern instrumental analytical methods and
the various spectrometric, chromatographic and thermal analysis techniques have been particularly prominent.
There is clearly a strong
common bond between investigations in various parts of the field. Polymer Degradation and Stability provides a forum for the
publication of their work.
Hide Aims & Scope
Editor-in-Chief: Contact the Editor
N.C. Billingham
Home | Elsevier Websites | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Feedback | Site Map | A Reed Elsevier Company