How long will it last?

How long will it last? How long an adhesive joint lasts obviously depends on what degradation processes are taking place and how fast. Physical or chemical changes occur in the adhesive or adherend that make the joint incapable of coping with the mechanical loads acting on it or with the internal stresses that are often generated by those changes. Paradoxically, perhaps, many of the processes that lead to degradation may be harnessed by you when you wish to remove an adhesive joint from an object. Consequently, exploring these processes, in this chapter, has a double purpose.