Generally, it takes many decades for plastics to degrade in the environment. Plastics degrade by oxidation and hydrolysis. Oxidation and hydrolysis are accelerated by heat and sunlight. Chemicals can be added to the plastic to accelerate the rate of degradation. Some plastics are designed to degrade
Why Does Plastic Crack Over Time?
THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS WHY PLASTIC PARTS CRACK OVER TIME Natural Aging Everything in the world that contains carbon and hydrogen, degrades over time, and therefore has an expiration date. Examples include, food, medicines and yes, even our bodies. Plastics contain carbon and hydrogen
At What Temperature Does Plastic Become Brittle?
The strength of plastics decreases at cold temperatures. For example, polycarbonate (PC) is an extremely tough plastic at normal use temperature and is sometime used as “bullet-proof glass”. However, at very cold temperatures (-40F), PC becomes brittle and will shatter like regular glass if struck
Does Plastic Have Fatigue?
The plastic in rigid thermoplastic parts consists of long chain molecules entangled together like spaghetti noodles in a bowl of spaghetti. The strength of the plastic is directly proportional to the extent to which the polymer chains are entangled with each other. When a plastic part is placed
How Does Polycarbonate Fail?
EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS Polycarbonate (PC) is an amorphous (non-crystalline) plastic. PC is nicknamed “bullet-proof glass” because of its highly ductile response to high-speed impact. PC is highly impact resistant because of its “free volume” between the long chain molecules. However, the
PEX Failures Due to Manufacturing Defects
PEX tubing is manufactured using polyethylene (PE). PE is a thermoplastic. Thermoplastics soften when heated allowing them to melt and flow under pressure. Softening under high temperature causes dimensional changes (creep) to occur which is not acceptable for pipes being used for hot water as the
PEX Installation Defects
If the PEX manufacturer’s installation rules are not followed, failures can result. One of the most common installation defects is sharply bending the pipe to make a directional change. Sharply bending the tubing causes the tubing to kink. The kink in the tubing places localized stress at a spot in
PEX Pipes Failure From Expansion Fittings
If the PEX manufacturer’s installation rules are not followed, failures can result. One of the most common installation defects is sharply bending the pipe to make a directional change. Sharply bending the tubing causes the tubing to kink. The kink in the tubing places localized stress at a spot in