Durability of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polymers Exposed to Chemical and Climatic Environments

Polymeric materials are widely used in military and defence applications, including personal and vehicle ballistic protection, protective masks and suits, vehicle components, and ammunition transport and storage packaging. In these applications, polymers are exposed to harsh environmental conditions and extreme temperatures, which can significantly affect their long-term performance. In this study, commercially available polymeric materials based on polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) modified with thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) at different PP/TPE compositions, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polyamide (PA) were studied. The materials were exposed to selected chemical agents, namely fuels (gasoline) and decontaminants (hypochlorite decontamination mixture), as well as to climatic conditions including high (+100 °C) and low (−40 °C) temperatures, high humidity and UV radiation. The aim of this study was to determine the durability physical and mechanical properties of the polymers in the selected environments with increasing exposure time (from one to six weeks). Hardness (Rockwell and Shore methods), tensile strength, elongation, and tensile modulus were observed. The results showed that exposure to gasoline and UV radiation caused the most pronounced changes. Among the tested materials, PE exhibited the highest overall resistance, showing only minor degradation even under the most aggressive conditions, such as gasoline exposure and UV radiation.