April 10 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EDT
Understanding how plastic materials behave, perform, and ultimately degrade requires a foundation in polymer science. This presentation provides an accessible yet technically grounded overview of the fundamental concepts of polymer engineering. The workshop will introduce the basics of polymer structure—including molecular weight, branching, crosslinking, and crystallinity—and explore how these structural features influence key material properties such as strength, toughness, thermal resistance, and processability. The session will also address the role of additives and manufacturing chemicals in shaping material performance and stability, their potential to migrate during use or disposal, and the challenges they pose for recycling and material recovery. Finally, the presentation will explore the mechanisms by which plastics fragment and degrade in real-world environments—from UV and thermal oxidation to mechanical abrasion—and discuss the particles and chemical species that persist as materials break down.
Designed for researchers, practitioners, and professionals who work with polymeric materials but may lack a background in materials science—or who simply want a refresher— this talk aims to build a solid conceptual framework for understanding the underlying structures of plastic materials, how these structures dictate material properties, and how they influence degradation behavior and the types of substances that remain as plastics break down.
