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Zhong, J. Degradation Mechanism. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/61193 (accessed on 12 November 2026).
Zhong J. Degradation Mechanism. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/61193. Accessed November 12, 2026.
Zhong, Jack. "Degradation Mechanism" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/61193 (accessed November 12, 2026).
Zhong, J. (2026, October 21). Degradation Mechanism. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/61193
Zhong, Jack. "Degradation Mechanism." Encyclopedia. Web. 21 October, 2026.

Degradation Mechanism

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A degradation mechanism is the sequence of chemical steps by which a polymer loses its useful properties under a given environment. Hydrolytic degradation proceeds by the attack of water on a hydrolysable bond, and the rate depends on the accessibility of that bond rather than on its intrinsic reactivity [1]. Oxidative degradation starts with a radical, and the propagation step consumes oxygen while the termination step crosslinks or scissions the chain [2]. Thermal degradation at low temperature is usually oxidative, while pyrolysis above the ceiling temperature proceeds by unzipping to the monomer [3]. Because several routes can act at the same time, distinguishing them requires the kinetics to be measured at more than one condition [4]. The mechanism determines whether the product is a harmless fragment or a persistent microplastic, and that distinction governs the end-of-life assessment [5].

hydrolytic scission oxidative degradation radical propagation pyrolysis chain unzipping kinetics microplastic
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References

  1. Li, R.; Hu, X. Study on discoloration mechanism of polyamide 6 during thermo-oxidative degradation. Polymer Degradation and Stability 1998, 62, 523-528. [CrossRef]
  2. Polyák, P.; Szemerszki, D.; Vörös, G.; Pukánszky, B. Mechanism and kinetics of the hydrolytic degradation of amorphous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Polymer Degradation and Stability 2017, 140, 1-8. [CrossRef]
  3. Huang, K.; Ma, B.; Dai, J.; Sha, J. Mechanical Properties and Degradation Mechanism of SiC Fibers Exposed to Oxidative Environment up to 1600 °C. Applied Sciences 2025, 16, 64. [CrossRef]
  4. Zaikov, G.; Livshits, V. The mechanism of chemical degradation of polymers: Part I—Quantitative prediction of hydrolytic stability of polyesters. Polymer Degradation and Stability 1984, 9, 41-50. [CrossRef]
  5. Morgan, R.J.; Butler, N.L. Hydrolytic degradation mechanism of Kevlar 49 fibers when dissolved in sulfuric acid. Polymer Bulletin 1992, 27, 689-696. [CrossRef]
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Subjects: Polymer Science
Contributor MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register : Jack Zhong
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Update Date: 21 Oct 2026
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