Uncovering the Aging Phenomenon of Plastics and How to Effectively Slow It Down

2025-10-20

Plastic aging is a natural process where exposure to environmental conditions—such as sunlight, oxygen, heat, moisture, radiation, chemicals, and biological agents—causes gradual degradation. This is often due to breakdown at the molecular level, including chain scission and reduced molecular weight. Aging manifests as reduced strength, brittleness, cracking, softening, hardening, or loss of mechanical properties. Both intrinsic factors (e.g., unsaturated bonds, functional groups) and external factors contribute to aging. To延缓 aging, additives such as fillers (e.g., glass fiber, carbon black), plasticizers, stabilizers (e.g., stearates, epoxy resins), antioxidants, antifungal agents, flame retardants, and colorants are used. Physical methods like coating, plating, and painting also help. Regular maintenance and timely replacement further extend service life.

PC/ABS

PPO

PA6/PA66

PCR

PC/ABS

PPO

PA6/PA66

PCR

Uncovering the Aging Phenomenon of Plastics and How to Effectively Slow It Down

Uncovering the Aging Phenomenon of Plastics and How to Effectively Slow It Down