Which risk increases in epoxy adhesive when exposed to high humidity environments above its glass transition temperature?

💡 Explanation

When epoxy is exposed to high humidity above its glass transition temperature, a hydrolytic cleavage mechanism occurs because water molecules permeate the polymer matrix and react with ester bonds in the epoxy backbone, thus weakening it. Therefore, polymer degradation increases rather than embrittlement, porosity, or oxidation, which involve different mechanisms and environmental conditions.

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