| Thermoset elastomers are currently used for watertightness applications on marine structures, due to their interesting elastic properties and their important chemical resistance. However, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) represent an interesting alternative in an industrial context being increasingly restrictive toward chemical risks. In order to determine their behaviour in marine environment, hydrolytic and oxidative ageing of several TPEs was investigated. Degradation was particularly assessed with molecular chain scission measurement. Based on these data, a hydrolytic kinetic model predicting scissions was developed, including the autocatalytic effect as well as the use of a hydrolytic stabilizer. Meanwhile, characterization of mechanical properties... |
