Technical Glossary Hydrolysis

[Hydrolysis]

Hydrolysis is a reaction where a product can be obtained by the reaction of a starting material and water. Here are some examples of hydrolysis:
ester + water → alcohol + carboxylic acid
amide + water → amine + carboxylic acid
The breakdown of proteins into amino acids in organisms is a type of hydrolysis facilitated by enzymes.
Organic polymers are prone to hydrolytic degradation. For example, polyurethane readily succumbs to hydrolysis, whereas silicone polymers show quite high hydrolytic resistance.