| Abstract: | Weather-induced degradation of polymer properties is caused by all the factors of weather, which include solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind, rain, environmental pollutants, thermal cycling (cold night and hot days), and sand abrasion. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is exposed to natural weather, and degradation is monitored by the mechanical properties testing system, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Three mathematical models were developed with weather parameters as independent parameters and mechanical property (tensile strength), chemical change (carbonyl growth), and thermal property (percent crystallinity) as dependent parameters. The mechanical property was found to be more dependent on the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the total solar radiation, chemical change was found to be synergestically effected by UV and total solar radiation, and change in thermal property was because of UV, total solar radiation, and temperature. Humidity and other weather parameters were found to play a less significant role in the weather-induced degradation of LLDPE properties. |
