Biodegradation and Durability of Materials under the Effect of Microorganisms

This volume in the book series New Concepts in Polymer Science deals with the damaging effects, which microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, etc. can have on a range of materials in machinery. The book aims to provide theoretical notions about the mechanisms of material damaging by microorganisms under operation conditions as well as to give recommendations for protection of technical articles and machinery. This monograph consists of the following topics: finding of kinetic regularities, analytical models and quantitative indices for stages material biodamaging; study of influence of properties of materials, features of microorganisms, temperature, humidity and other factors on interaction between a material and a biodestructor; and, compilation of guidelines to determine and forecast biological resistance (bioresistance) of materials, development of means and methods for their protection as well as estimates of their efficiency. This monograph will be of value and interest to researchers and engineers working in fields in which materials are subject to active microbiological aging and destruction.