Chemical

Degradation of
Ceramics And
Polymers





















Polymer and Ceramics Degradation
- is a change in the properties (tensile strength,
color, shape) of a polymer or polymer based
product under the influence of one or more
environmental factors such as heat, light or
chemicals. These changes may be undesirable,
such as changes during use, or desirable, as in
biodegradation or deliberately lowering the
molecular weight of a polymer
Types of Degradation
Physical Degradation
-Due to their fragility, damage to ceramics typically
comes from mishandling and packing. However, other
factors such as vandalism, frost, mold, and other
similar occurrences can also inflect harm.
[

Chemical Degradation
-The degradation of the chemical component of an
object will hinder or weaken the stability of the object
when exposed to environmental factors such as water,
air, pollution, heat, humidity, and the like.
Radiation Damage
Max Karl Planck
- German Physicist. His
lifetime spanned the
transition between the
nineteen and twentieth
centuries. This is symbolic of
his contribution in bridging
classical (nineteenth century)
and modern (twentieth
century) physics. He
introduced the term
quantum in 1900 while
developing a successful
model of energy spectrum
from a blackbody radiator.
Effects on Material and Devices
Radiation may affect materials and devices in deleterious ways:

By causing the materials to become radioactive
By nuclear transmutation of the elements within the material
including, the production of Hydrogen and Helium which can in
turn alter the mechanical properties of the materials and cause
swelling and brittleness
By Radiolysis within the material, which can weaken it, cause it
to swell, polymerize, promote corrosion, cause belittlements,
promote cracking or otherwise change its desirable mechanical,
optical, or electronic properties.
By formation of reactive compounds, affecting other materials (
By ionization causing electrical breakdown, particularly in
semiconductor employed in electronic equipment, with
subsequent currents introducing operation errors or even
permanently damaging the devices.
Effect on Gas
Exposure to radiation causes chemical changes in
gases. The least susceptible to damage are noble
gas, where the major concern is the nuclear
transmutation with follow up chemical reactions
of the nuclear reaction products.
Significant amounts of ozone can be produced.
Even small amounts of ozone can cause ozone
cracking in many polymers over time, in addition
to the damage by the radiation itself.

Effect on Liquid
Like gases, liquids lack fixed internal structure;
the effects of radiation is therefore mainly
limited to radiolysis, altering the chemical
composition of the liquids. As with gases, one
of the primary mechanisms is formation
of free radical.
Wear Degradation
Defined as removal of surface material as a
result of mechanical action.


Four Main forms of Wear
ADHESIVE WEAR
-occurs when two smooth surface slide over
each other and fragments are pulled off one
surface and adhere to other.

ABRASIVE WEAR
-occurs when a rough, hard surface slides on
a softer surface

SURFACE FATIGUE WEAR
-occurs during repeated sliding or rolling over
a track. Surface or subsurface crack formation
leads to breakup of the surface

CORROSIVE WEAR
-takes place with sliding in a corrosive
environment and, of course, adds chemical
degradation to the physical effects of wear

EROSION
-stream of sharp particles is analogous to
abrasive wear.

CAVITATION
-involves damage to a surface caused by the
collapse of a bubble in an adjacent liquid.
END OF SLIDE