Brittling and Leg Disintegration of a Timpo 1:32 Scale Indian

Plastic Corrosion due to Oxygen and UV Radition

These legs of an antique Timpo India spontaneously fell apart when the miniature was picked up. The thermoplastic PC/ABS blend used by Timpo has reached a glassy brittleness due to ultraviolet radiation and oxygen corrosion. The plastic is no longer elastic, it snaps apart under minimal stress of touch. As the material becomes increasingly brittle, the stress of a tight-fitting torso peg may be sufficient to burst the legs. Temperature changes inside a glass cabinet may expand or contract figure components enough to trigger the disintegration of a fragile part.

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Plastic Corrosion of Collectible Miniatures