ASTM D1238-01e1

Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer

SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers measurement of the rate of extrusion of molten resins through a die of a specified length and diameter under prescribed conditions of temperature, load, and piston position in the barrel as the timed measurement is being made.
1.2 Procedure A is a manual cutoff operation based on time used for materials having flow rates that fall generally between 0.15 and 50 g/10 min. Procedure B is an automatically timed flow rate measurement used for materials having flows from 0.50 to 900 g/10 min. By both procedures, the piston travel is generally the same during the timed measurement; the piston foot is about 46 and 20.6 mm above the die. Comparable flow rates have been obtained by these procedures in interlaboratory round-robin measurements of several materials described in 12.1. Provision is made for calculation of melt volume-flow rate as well as melt mass-flow rate.
Note 1—Round-robin testing indicates this test method may be suitable at flow rates up to 1500 g/10 min if the timing clock resolves the elapsed time to the nearest 0.01 s.
Note 2—This test method and ISO 1133-1991 are technically equivalent.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Note 10, Note 26, and Note 29.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Aug-2001
• ICS: 83.080.20 - Thermoplastic materials
• Technical Committee: D20 - Plastics
• Drafting Committee: D20.30 - Thermal Properties

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D1238-00 - Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Replaced By: ASTM D1238-04 - Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D4565-20 - Standard Test Methods for Physical and Environmental Performance Properties of <brk/>Insulations and Jackets for Telecommunications Wire and Cable
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6213-17 - Standard Practice for Tests to Evaluate the Chemical Resistance of Geogrids to Liquids
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F714-22 - Standard Specification for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe (DR-PR) Based on Outside Diameter
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3364-99(2019) - Standard Test Method for Flow Rates for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) with Molecular Structural Implications
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F2764/F2764M-23 - Standard Specification for 6 in. to 60 in. [150 mm to 1500 mm] Polypropylene (PP) Corrugated Double and Triple Wall Pipe and Fittings for Non-Pressure Sanitary Sewer Applications
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F790-23 - Standard Guide for Testing Materials for Aerospace Plastic Transparent Enclosures
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5721-22 - Standard Practice for Air-Oven Aging of Polyolefin Geomembranes
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6434-12(2018) - Standard Guide for the Selection of Test Methods for Flexible Polypropylene Geomembranes
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F412-23 - Standard Terminology Relating to Plastic Piping Systems
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F3219-19 - Standard Specification for 3 to 30 in. (75 To 750 mm) Polypropylene (PP) Corrugated Single Wall Pipe and Fittings
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3307-21 - Standard Specification for Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) Resin Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6389-17 - Standard Practice for Tests to Evaluate the Chemical Resistance of Geotextiles to Liquids
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3835-16 - Standard Test Method for Determination of Properties of Polymeric Materials by Means of a Capillary Rheometer
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
e1
Designation: D 1238 – 01
Standard Test Method for
Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion
1
Plastometer
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1238; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
e NOTE—Editorially corrected the Notes in Figure 3 in April 2002.
2
e NOTE—Editorially corrected condition value listed under 8.2 in April 2002.
2
1. Scope * D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
1.1 This test method covers measurement of the rate of
3
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
extrusion of molten resins through a die of a specified length
2.2 ANSI Standard:
and diameter under prescribed conditions of temperature, load,
4
B46.1 on Surface Texture
and piston position in the barrel as the timed measurement is
2.3 ISO Standard:
being made.
ISO 1133-1991 Determination of the Melt-Mass Flow Rate
1.2 Procedure A is a manual cutoff operation based on time
(MFR) and the Melt Volume-Flow Rate (MVR) of Ther-
used for materials having flow rates that fall generally between
4
moplastics
0.15 and 50 g/10 min. Procedure B is an automatically timed
flow rate measurement used for materials having flows from
3. Terminology
0.50 to 900 g/10 min. By both procedures, the piston travel is
3.1 General:
generally the same during the timed measurement; the piston
3.1.1 For definition of some of the technical terms used in
foot is about 46 and 20.6 mm above the die. Comparable flow
this test method refer to Terminology D 883.
rates have been obtained by these procedures in interlaboratory
round-robin measurements of several materials described in
4. Significance and Use
13.1. Provision is made for calculation of melt volume-flow
4.1 This test method is particularly useful for quality control
rate as well as melt mass-flow rate.
tests on thermoplastics.
NOTE 1—Round-robin testing indicates this test method may be suit-
NOTE 3—Polymers having flow rates less than 0.15 or greater than 900
able at flow rates up to 1500 g/10 min if the timing clock resolves the
g/10 min may be tested by the procedures in this test method; however,
elapsed time to the nearest 0.01 s.
precision data have not been developed.
NOTE 2—This test method and ISO 1133-1991 are technically equiva-
lent.
4.2 This test method serves to indicate the uniformity of the
flow rate of the polymer as made by an individual process and,
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety
in this case, may be indicative of uniformity of other proper-
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
ties. However, uniformity of flow rate among various polymers
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
as made by various processes does not, in the absence of other
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
tests, indicate uniformity of other properties.
limitations prior to use.Specific precautionary statements are
4.3 The flow rate obtained with the extrusion plastometer is
given in Note 10, Note 26, and Note 29.
not a fundamental polymer property. It is an empirically
2. Referenced Documents
defined parameter critically influenced by the physical proper-
2.1 ASTM Standards: ties and molecular structure of the polymer and the conditions
2
of measurement. The rheological characteristics of polymer
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
melts depend on a number of variables. Since the values of
these variables occurring in this test may differ substantially
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.30 on Thermal Properties
(Section D20.30.08).
3
Current edition approved August 10, 2001. Published October 2001. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
4
published as D 1238 – 65 T. Last previous edition D 1238 – 00. Available from the American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd St.,
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01. 13th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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D 1238
from those in large-scale processes, test results may not
correlate directly with processing behavior.
4.4 The flow rate of a material may be measured under any
of the conditions listed for it in 8.2. Additional characterization
of a material can be obtained if more than one condition is
used. In case two condi
...