Introduction:
Plastic materials have a wide range of applications, including in industries such as agriculture, construction, packaging, and machinery manufacturing. Due to their lightweight, affordability, corrosion resistance, and ease of processing, plastics have become indispensable in many sectors. However, during use, plastic materials can undergo aging for various reasons, affecting their performance and even leading to product damage. This is especially critical for plastic components used in outdoor environments, such as photovoltaic back panels or equipment housings, which are exposed to harsh conditions like sunlight, rain, and high temperatures. If these materials lack sufficient anti-aging properties, they may fail prematurely. Therefore, testing and evaluating the aging resistance of plastic materials is of great importance.

1. Main Purposes of Plastic Material Aging Performance Testing

Aging testing assesses the durability and stability of plastic materials under different environmental conditions to predict their service life and performance in real-world use. By simulating various environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, light, oxygen, and specific media, the aging process of plastics can be accelerated, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of their aging performance. The significance of plastic material aging performance testing lies in:

1. Assessing thermal stability: Testing the material’s stability under extreme temperatures to determine its long-term performance.
2. Evaluating physical property changes: Observing deformation, embrittlement, cracking, and other phenomena during high and low-temperature cycles.
3. Predicting service life: Simulating real environments to predict aging rates and service life in actual applications.
4. Supporting product optimization: Providing data for material improvement and production process optimization, helping businesses enhance product quality.
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2. Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Influencing Factors of Plastic Material Aging

1. Characteristics of plastic aging:
   Plastic aging refers to the deterioration of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties due to long-term environmental exposure during processing, storage, and use. This can be caused by heat, light, radiation, mechanical stress, chemicals, and microorganisms. Plastic aging generally manifests in four main areas: changes in appearance, physical properties, mechanical performance, and electrical properties.
2. Mechanisms of plastic aging:
   Aging can be categorized into chemical and physical aging. Chemical aging is the result of molecular structure changes in polymers, which is irreversible. It includes phenomena such as the embrittlement of plastics and the cracking of rubber. Physical aging occurs when external factors cause the molecular structure of glassy polymers to transition from a non-equilibrium state to equilibrium through localized chain segment movement, resulting in changes to the material’s physical and mechanical properties.
3. Factors influencing plastic aging:
   The external factors that affect plastic aging primarily include:

• Radiation
• Oxygen
• Ozone
• Heat
• Moisture
• Mechanical stress
• Other factors

3. Basic Principles and Evaluation Methods of Plastic Material Aging Testing

1. Natural Exposure Test Methods:
   Natural atmospheric aging testing studies the effects of climate factors on plastics by exposing samples to outdoor environments. This method involves evaluating material aging resistance by testing performance changes before and after exposure. Natural storage aging involves placing samples in storage rooms or warehouses under natural climate conditions to assess aging performance by measuring changes over time. Seawater exposure tests place samples in various marine environments to assess aging performance by evaluating pre- and post-exposure changes.
   Natural aging tests closely resemble real-world conditions and require simple equipment, but they demand large facilities and extended test durations. The results are also influenced by weather fluctuations, making it difficult to quantify aging performance. Results are typically applicable to specific exposure sites.

2. Artificial Aging Tests:
   Artificial aging tests are conducted in the laboratory and include:

• Thermal aging tests: These assess the material’s heat resistance by exposing it to high temperatures above its normal operating range. Changes before and after exposure are tested to evaluate thermal performance.
• Humidity and heat aging tests: Materials are exposed to humid, hot air, and changes before and after exposure are evaluated to assess resistance to humidity and heat.
• High-pressure oxygen and air thermal aging tests: These are accelerated aging tests conducted at high temperatures and pressures, with changes before and after exposure used to evaluate weather resistance.
• Artificial weather aging tests: Samples are exposed to controlled environmental conditions that simulate light, heat, oxygen, humidity, and rain. Performance changes due to surface irradiation or radiation exposure are tested to assess weather resistance.