ASTM D870-02

Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Water Immersion

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Immersion in water can cause the degradation of coatings. Knowledge on how a coating resists water immersion is helpful in predicting its service life. Failure in a water immersion test may be caused by a number of factors including a deficiency in the coating itself, contamination of the substrate, or inadequate surface preparation. The test is therefore useful for evaluating coatings alone or complete coating systems.
Water immersion tests are used for research and development of coatings and substrate treatments, specification acceptance, and quality control in manufacturing. These tests typically result in a pass or fail determination, but the degree of failure may also be measured. A coating system is considered to pass if there is no evidence of water-related failure after a specified period of time.
Results obtained from water immersion tests in accordance with this practice should not be represented as being equivalent to a period of exposure to water in the natural environment, until the degree of quantitative correlation has been established for the coating or coating system.
Corrosion tests of a scribed coating on a ferrous substrate are impractical in water immersion tests as the corrosion products tend to contaminate the water bath. Continuous overflow of the test tank is sometimes required to maintain consistent water quality.
The apparatus for the test is relatively inexpensive and can be as simple as a glass beaker with a stirrer. It is also possible to use very large tanks for testing coated pipe or other large coated products.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the basic principles and operating procedures for testing water resistance of coatings by the partial or complete immersion of coated specimens in distilled or de-mineralized water at ambient or elevated temperatures. Although the apparatus and procedure could be employed in immersion tests using solutions of various materials in water, this practice is limited to tests in water alone.
1.2 This practice is limited to the methods of obtaining, measuring, and controlling the conditions and procedures of water immersion tests. It does not specify specimen preparation, specific test conditions, or evaluation of results.
Note 1—Alternative practices for testing the water resistance of coatings include Practices D 1735, D 2247, and D 4585.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of 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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Aug-2002
• ICS: 25.220.20 - Surface treatment
• Technical Committee: D01 - Paint and Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications
• Drafting Committee: D01.27 - Accelerated Testing

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D870-97 - Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Water Immersion
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Replaced By: ASTM D870-09 - Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Water Immersion
• Effective Date: 01-Aug-2009
• Referred By: ASTM D4585/D4585M-18 - Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Controlled Condensation
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D7893-13(2018) - Standard Guide for Corrosion Test Panel Preparation, Testing, and Rating of Coil-Coated Building Products
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D2247-15(2020) - Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings in 100 % Relative Humidity
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D3794-22 - Standard Guide for Testing Coil Coatings
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D1654-08(2016)e1 - Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Painted or Coated Specimens Subjected to Corrosive Environments
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D3451-06(2017) - Standard Guide for Testing Coating Powders and Powder Coatings
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D333-01(2021) - Standard Guide for Clear and Pigmented Lacquers
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D2205-20 - Standard Guide for Selection of Tests for Traffic Paints
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D6577-15(2019) - Standard Guide for Testing Industrial Protective Coatings
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E2785-14(2022) - Standard Test Method for Exposure of Firestop Materials to Severe Environmental Conditions
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D1735-21 - Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Water Fog Apparatus
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D3322-23 - Standard Practice for Testing Primers and Primer Surfacers Over Preformed Metal
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2002

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
Designation:D870–02
Standard Practice for
Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Water
1
Immersion
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 870; 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.
4
1. Scope D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water
D 1654 Test Method for Evaluation of Painted or Coated
1.1 This practice covers the basic principles and operating
2
Specimens Subjected to Corrosive Environment
procedures for testing water resistance of coatings by the
D 1730 Practices for Preparation of Aluminum and
partial or complete immersion of coated specimens in distilled
5
Aluminum-Alloy Surfaces for Painting
or de-mineralized water at ambient or elevated temperatures.
D 1735 Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings
Although the apparatus and procedure could be employed in
2
Using Water Fog Apparatus
immersion tests using solutions of various materials in water,
D 2247 PracticeforTestingWaterResistanceofCoatingsin
this practice is limited to tests in water alone.
2
100 % Relative Humidity
1.2 This practice is limited to the methods of obtaining,
D 2616 Test Method for Evaluation of Visual Color Differ-
measuring, and controlling the conditions and procedures of
2
ence with a Gray Scale
water immersion tests. It does not specify specimen prepara-
D 3359 Test Methods for Measuring Adhesion by Tape
tion, specific test conditions, or evaluation of results.
2
Test
2
NOTE 1—Alternative practices for testing the water resistance of
D 3363 Test Method for Film Hardness by Pencil Test
coatings include Practices D 1735, D 2247, and D 4585.
D 4541 Test Method for Pull-Off Strength of Coatings
3
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
Using Portable Adhesion Testers
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
D 4585 Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings
2
only.
Using Controlled Condensation
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3. Summary of Practice
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1 Coated specimens are partially or wholly immersed in
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
water in a container that is resistant to corrosion. The exposure
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
conditions are varied by selecting: (a) the temperature of the
water, and (b) the duration of the test. Water permeates the
2. Referenced Documents
coating at rates that are dependent upon the characteristics of
2.1 ASTM Standards:
the coating and upon the temperature of the water.Any effects
D 609 Practice for Preparation of Cold-Rolled Steel Panels
such as color change, blistering, loss of adhesion, softening, or
for Testing Paint, Varnish, Conversion Coatings, and
embrittlement are observed and reported.
2
Related Coating Products
4. Significance and Use
D 610 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Rusting on
3
Painted Steel Surfaces
4.1 Immersion in water can cause the degradation of coat-
D 714 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Blistering of
ings. Knowledge on how a coating resists water immersion is
2
Paints
helpful in predicting its service life. Failure in a water
D 823 Practices for Producing Films of Uniform Thickness
immersiontestmaybecausedbyanumberoffactorsincluding
2
of Paint, Varnish, and Related Products on Test Panels
a deficiency in the coating itself, contamination of the sub-
strate, or inadequate surface preparation. The test is therefore
useful for evaluating coatings alone or complete coating
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D01 on Paint and
systems.
Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D01.27 on Accelerated Testing.
Current edition approved Aug. 10, 2002. Published October 2002. Originally
published as D 870 – 46 T. Last previous edition D 870 – 97.
2 4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
3 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.02. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.05.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
D870–02
4.2 Water immersion tests are used for research and devel- 7. Procedure
opment of coatings and substrate treatments, specification
7.1 Fill the tank with water to a depth such that the test
acceptance, and quality control in manufacturing. These tests
specimens are immersed for approximately three-quarters of
typicallyres
...