ABSTRACT
One major problem associated with the applications of polymers is their instability to weathering (1-9). The formation of oxidation products appears as the major cause of this instability. Understanding the mechanisms by which these products are formed has been the subject of intensive research for the last 30 years. In addition to the academic interest in understanding the nature and the mechanistic behavior of these species in polymers, developing and adapting new stabilizers on a rational basis, and predicting the lifetime service of polymers are most valuable for practical applications of polymeric materials.
