A review of weathering studies in plastics and biocomposites — effects on mechanical properties and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

dc.contributor.authorNzimande, Monwabisi Cyril
dc.contributor.authorMtibe, Asanda
dc.contributor.authorTichapondwa, Shepherd Masimba
dc.contributor.authorJohn, Maya Jacob
dc.contributor.emailshepherd.tichapondwa@up.ac.za
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-26T10:31:12Z
dc.date.available2025-05-26T10:31:12Z
dc.date.issued2024-04-16
dc.description.abstractPolymeric materials undergo degradation when exposed to outdoor conditions due to the synergistic effects of sunlight, air, heat, and moisture. The degradation can lead to a decline in mechanical properties, fading, surface cracking, and haziness, attributed to the cleavage of the polymer chains and oxidation reactions. Accelerated weathering testing is a useful technique to evaluate the comparative photodegradation of materials within a reasonable timeframe. This review gives an overview of the different degradation mechanisms occurring in conventional plastics and bio-based materials. Case studies on accelerated weathering and its effect on the mechanical properties of conventional plastics and biocomposites are discussed. Different techniques for analysing volatile organic emissions (VOCs) have been summarized and studies highlighting the characterization of VOCs from aged plastics and biocomposites after aging have been cited.
dc.description.departmentChemical Engineering
dc.description.librarianam2025
dc.description.sdgSDG-12: Responsible consumption and production
dc.description.sponsorshipDepartment of Science and Innovation, South Africa, Waste RDI program.
dc.description.urihttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers
dc.identifier.citationNzimande, M.C.; Mtibe, A.; Tichapondwa, S.; John, M.J. A Review of Weathering Studies in Plastics and Biocomposites—Effects on Mechanical Properties and Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Polymers 2024, 16, 1103. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081103.
dc.identifier.issn2073-4360 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.3390/polym16081103
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/102509
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.rights© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
dc.subjectWeathering
dc.subjectAging
dc.subjectCarbonyl index
dc.subjectPlastics
dc.subjectBiopolymers
dc.subjectBiocomposites VOCs
dc.subjectVolatile organic emissions (VOCs)
dc.titleA review of weathering studies in plastics and biocomposites — effects on mechanical properties and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
dc.typeArticle

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Nzimande_Review_2024.pdf
Size:
4.41 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Article

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: