Factors of polymer weathering

Okay, let's pretend you have a toy made of plastic, and you love to play with it outside in the sun. Over time, you notice that the plastic toy starts to look different - it might become faded, cracked, or even break apart. This is what we call "weathering" of the plastic, and it happens because of different things that can affect the plastic.

So, what are some of these things that can affect the plastic? Well, one of them is the sun. When you leave your plastic toy in the sun for a long time, the UV rays from the sun can break down the material of the plastic. This can cause it to become weaker and more brittle, which means it might crack or break more easily.

Another thing that can affect plastic is temperature. When it gets really hot outside, the plastic can expand and become softer. But then when it gets cold again, the plastic can contract and become harder. This can cause a lot of stress on the plastic, which might cause it to crack or even break.

Other factors that can cause weathering of plastic include things like moisture (water), chemicals (like cleaning products), and even just the passage of time. Over time, all of these things can cause the plastic to become weaker and less durable, which can make it less useful or even unsafe to play with.

So, to sum it up: weathering of plastic (or any other polymer) happens when it is exposed to things like sunlight, heat, moisture, chemicals, or the passage of time. All of these things can cause the plastic to become weaker or more brittle, which can make it harder to use or even dangerous. So, if you want your plastic toys to last a long time, it's important to take good care of them and protect them from these factors as much as possible!