Machine Learning-Driven Paradigm for Polymer Aging Lifetime Prediction: Integrating Multi-Mechanism Coupling and Cross-Scale Modeling

This review systematically examined the transformative role of machine learning in predicting polymer aging lifetime, addressing critical limitations of conventional methods such as the Arrhenius model, time-temperature superposition principle, and numerical fitting approaches. The primary objective was to establish a comprehensive framework that integrates multi-mechanism coupling with dynamic data-driven modeling to enhance prediction accuracy across complex aging scenarios. Four key machine learning categories demonstrate distinct advantages: support vector machines effectively capture nonlinear interactions in multi-stress environments; neural networks enable cross-scale modeling from molecular dynamics to macroscopic failure; decision tree models provide interpretable feature importance quantification; and hybrid approaches synergistically combine complementary strengths. These methodologies have shown significant success in critical industrial applications, including building trades, photovoltaic systems, and aerospace composites, creating an integrated predictive system that bridges molecular-level dynamics with service-life performance. By transforming life prediction from empirical extrapolation to mechanism-based simulation, this machine-learning-driven paradigm offers robust methodological support for engineering safety design in diverse polymer applications through its capacity to model complex environmental interactions, adapt to real-time monitoring data, and elucidate underlying degradation mechanisms.