PVC Wire Coatings: Part l-Ageing Process Dynamics

PVC wire coatings represent a key element of aircraft structures. Considering that modern aircrafts contain tens of miles of wires and cables insulated with PVC coatings it is imperative to understand the degradation of these coatings in use. It is also essential that we develop methods which will enable us to predict as accurately as possible the lifetime of these systems. A review of current test methods shows that these methods are inadequate to achieve these objectives because they do not take into consideration the recent advances in polymer ageing and degradation. In this work we address these critical issues by first reviewing the dynamics of PVC ageing (Part I), while the second Part will deal with the prediction of actual life time of these systems.