Stabilization of Polymeric Materials

Plastics are used worldwide in everyday life, e.g. as food packaging, electronics, construction, automotive parts, and household appliances. To produce these products with the desired service lifetimes the use of suitable stabilizers is necessary. This book provides a concise and comprehensive overview of the basic mechanisms of plastic degradation processes caused by heat and light. At its core is a detailed description of the stabilization of different polymers, including an explanation of stabilization mechanisms and the influence of commonly used additives such as fillers, flame retardents and pigments on the stability of plastic. Every polymer scientist, material technologist, or application engineer dealing with the design of the properties of plastics will benefit from this new overview.

1. Principles of Oxidative Degradation 2. Principles of Stabilization 3. Principles of Stabilization of Individual Substrates 4. Influence of Metals, Fillers and Pigments on the Stability 5. Solubility and Diffusion of Stabilizers in Polymers 6. Testing of Stabilizers in the Substrate 7. Outlook and Trends