SPE Webinar
Plastics Weathering – From Basic Principles to Recent Developments in Technology and Standardization
October 4, 2023; 9:00 AM-10:00 AM EDT
Online
Together with 
Free Webinar
NOTE: This online event will be recorded. Registered attendees can either view the presentation in real-time on the date and time scheduled, or view the recording on-demand at a later date. Recorded presentations will become available approximately seven business days following the program’s original date, and will remain available for a minimum of six months. You will need to login with the same credentials you used during registration. For assistance, contact customerrelations@4spe.org.
Summary
Products based on plastics can degrade by the effects of the environment. This webinar addresses the basic principles of polymer degradation caused by the effects of weather. The main environmental stress factors are solar radiation, heat, and moisture. Testing of the environmental durability can be done under natural conditions; however accelerated laboratory testing offer the potential of acceleration. Today xenon-arc instruments (full solar simulation) and fluorescent UV instruments are the main technologies used to test the weathering stability of plastics. Modern test instruments offer control of the simulated environmental parameters, but also measurement of specimen properties, such as the surface temperature. International weathering standards are the base for reproducible testing. Recent standardization efforts focus on better parameter control and on more realistic simulation of environmental degradation effects.
Plastics can degrade when exposed to environmental stress – some faster than others. This webinar addresses the basic principles of polymer degradation under the synergetic impact of solar radiation, heat, and water.
The online seminar will show how weathering testing of plastics can be performed under natural conditions, but also in the most common laboratory weathering instruments:
- Filtered xenon-arc (full spectrum solar simulation, including UV)
- Fluorescent UV (UV only)
Finally, recent developments in testing technology and international standardization will be presented.
About the Speaker
Duties and Responsibilities
- Planning, coordination, and implementation of Atlas’ global client education program (incl. seminars and workshops in Europe, Asia, Americas and Africa and Online seminars)
- Planning and organizing technical consulting for different industries (Coatings, Solar, Plastics, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Automotive, Textile, …)
- Membership and active work in several national (DIN, VDA, DEK, DKE) and international (CEN, ISO, IEC, ASTM) standards committees
- Since 2020 Chair of ISO TC 35/SC 9 “General test methods for paints and varnishes”
- Lecturer at various weathering, durability, and surface science seminars
- Publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at international conferences
Background
- Expert in weathering and photo-degradation of materials and products.
- Research on corrosion and inorganic coatings at the DECHEMA Research Institute in Frankfurt (2005 - 2011).
- Postdoc on conducting polymers and electrochemistry at the Ohio State University (2003 - 2004).
- Ph.D. degree in chemistry on the polymerization of polystyrene block-copolymers at the University of Constance, Germany (2002).
This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.
Refund Policy for SPE Webinars
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Anti-Trust Statement
- No discussion among members, volunteers, or staff, which attempts to arrive at any agreement regarding prices, terms or conditions of sale, distribution, volume, territories, or customers;
- No activity or communication which might be construed as an attempt to prevent any person or business entity from gaining access to any market or customer for goods or services or any business entity from obtaining services or a supply of goods;
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