Correlation between EPDM aging properties and climate as well as prediction of the distribution of EPDM aging degree in China

Based on the analysis of aging behavior of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and the mechanism of action of climate on EPDM, the aging data of EPDM exposed for 3 years in 11 typical material weathering test stations and the meteorological data there were studied to find out the relation between atmospheric environment and EPDM aging properties. By using the factor analysis and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), the comprehensive values of aging properties were gained. With the grey correlation analysis, sever environmental parameters including irradiance, humidity, temperature were found to be the key climate factors which had a significant relation with the degradation of EPDM. Then a BP artificial neural network that connected the climate factors and EPDM aging properties was built. By inputting the meteorological data of cities, the comprehensive values of EPDM aging properties where weathering test had not been performed were predicted and a distribution map of these comprehensive values was draw out. The results show that the aging of EPDM in the south of Guangdong Province, Hainan Island, Taiwan Island, Tibet, and south of Xinjiang are the most serious.