ABSTRACT
The paper, which is the first in a series of papers on the ageing resistance of sealants, describes the effects of individual ageing factors on sealants. Ageing factors discussed in the paper are photochemical degradation and thermal loading due to sunlight; ambient heat and cold and the cyclic mechanical strain resulting from temperature fluctuations; water and water-vapour; oxygen and ozone; aggressive atmospheric pollutants; as well as micro- and macrobiological attack.
