Climatic aging is a concept that describes the cumulative effect of several climate stresses on materials. These stresses include temperature, humidity, and solar radiation, including exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. These environmental factors can negatively impact the quality, durability, and appearance of packaging materials, including paper, cardboard, wood, and metals.
Impact of Temperature
Temperature can cause significant damage to materials, especially when exposed to extreme temperatures. Temperature variations, including fluctuations between high and low temperatures, can weaken materials, including printing, packaging, and the product itself. Climate chambers are often used to conduct climate tests to assess the effect of temperature on materials.
Impact of Humidity
Atmospheric humidity can also deteriorate the mechanical properties of certain materials. For example, humidity can weaken paper, cardboard, and wood, and cause corrosion on metals. Similar to temperature, humidity tests are often conducted using climate chambers to simulate different environmental conditions.
Impact of Solar Radiation and UV Exposure
Exposure to solar radiation, including ultraviolet rays, can cause discoloration of printing and yellowing of certain coatings. Packaging materials such as papers and plastics can also degrade when exposed to solar radiation, resulting in yellowing and brittleness. Additionally, the color of food liquids can be affected by the action of temperature or light. Aging chambers with light are used to test the effect of solar radiation on materials.
FAQ on Climate Aging
Climate aging refers to the cumulative impact of various climatic stressors, such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation, particularly UV, on the quality and durability of materials.