polymer – XiaoZhi Lim

These Cultural Treasures Are Made of Plastic. Now They’re Falling Apart.

Buzz Aldrin’s spacesuit has stood alone at the National Air and Space Museum for over 12 years, after its companion Neil Armstrong’s suit was put in storage to prevent its plastic materials from deteriorating further.

New York Times – Museum conservators are racing to figure out how to preserve modern artworks and historical objects that are disintegrating.

Designing the Death of a Plastic

New York Times – Decades ago, synthetic polymers became popular because they were cheap and durable. Now, scientists are creating material that self-destructs or breaks down for reuse on command.