Physical and chemical aspects of long-term biodeterioration of some polymers and composites

Abstract

Fungi of the Aspergillus and Penicillium genera prevailed on both fluorine films and rubbers exposed in a cellar. Infrared spectroscopy indicated that the structures of poly(tetrafluorine ethylene) and the copolymer of tetrafluorine ethylene and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether did not change after the 12-year exposure; only insignificant changes in surface morphology were observed by optical microscopy. Vulcanized rubber made both from natural and from synthetic caoutchouc exposed for the same length of time showed rather evident changes in appearance and structure. X-ray graphical analysis revealed that new crystallization of the caoutchouc and a possible change in chemical composition of the fillers had occurred. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.