Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Aging of polymers and elastomers is a time dependent alteration of the chemical composition and physical properties depending on the aging conditions. Chemical reactions and hence changes in the chemical composition result in many cases from influence by oxygen or solvents and treatment of the bulk material at high temperatures. Aging of the materials by mechanical strain as well as in an oxidative manner can alter the ratio of amorphous to crystalline portions in the polymer, break chemical bondings and hence can alter the physical behavior of the materials.