ASTM D1238-00

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

• Replaced By: ASTM D1238-01e1 - Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• 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 F790-23 - Standard Guide for Testing Materials for Aerospace Plastic Transparent Enclosures
• 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 D3835-16 - Standard Test Method for Determination of Properties of Polymeric Materials by Means of a Capillary Rheometer
• 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 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 F2619/F2619M-20 - Standard Specification for High-Density Polyethylene (PE) Line Pipe
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: D 1238 – 00 An American National Standard
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.
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1. Scope * B46.1 on Surface Texture
2.3 ISO Standard:
1.1 This test method covers measurement of the rate of
ISO 1133-1991 Determination of the Melt-Mass Flow Rate
extrusion of molten resins through a die of a specified length
(MFR) and the Melt Volume-Flow Rate (MVR) of Ther-
and diameter under prescribed conditions of temperature, load,
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moplastics
and piston position in the barrel as the timed measurement is
being made.
3. Terminology
1.2 Procedure A is a manual cutoff operation based on time
3.1 General:
used for materials having flow rates that fall generally between
3.1.1 For definition of some of the technical terms used in
0.15 and 50 g/10 min. Procedure B is an automatically timed
this test method refer to Terminology D 883.
flow rate measurement used for materials having flows from
0.50 to 900 g/10 min. By both procedures, the piston travel is
4. Significance and Use
generally the same during the timed measurement; the piston
4.1 This test method is particularly useful for quality control
foot is about 46 and 20.6 mm above the die. Comparable flow
tests on thermoplastics.
rates have been obtained by these procedures in interlaboratory
round-robin measurements of several materials described in
NOTE 3—Polymers having flow rates less than 0.15 or greater than 900
12.1. Provision is made for calculation of melt volume-flow g/10 min may be tested by the procedures in this test method; however,
precision data have not been developed.
rate as well as melt mass-flow rate.
4.2 This test method serves to indicate the uniformity of the
NOTE 1—Round-robin testing indicates this test method may be suit-
flow rate of the polymer as made by an individual process and,
able at flow rates up to 1500 g/10 min if the timing clock resolves the
elapsed time to the nearest 0.01 s. in this case, may be indicative of uniformity of other proper-
NOTE 2—This test method and ISO 1133-1991 are technically equiva-
ties. However, uniformity of flow rate among various polymers
lent.
as made by various processes does not, in the absence of other
tests, indicate uniformity of other properties.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety
4.3 The flow rate obtained with the extrusion plastometer is
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
not a fundamental polymer property. It is an empirically
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
defined parameter critically influenced by the physical proper-
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
ties and molecular structure of the polymer and the conditions
limitations prior to use.Specific precautionary statements are
given in Note 10, Note 25, and Note 28. of measurement. The rheological characteristics of polymer
melts depend on a number of variables. Since the values of
2. Referenced Documents
these variables occurring in this test may differ substantially
2.1 ASTM Standards: from those in large-scale processes, test results may not
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correlate directly with processing behavior.
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
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D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics 4.4 The flow rate of a material may be measured under any
of the conditions listed for it in 8.2. Additional characterization
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
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Determine the Precision of a Test Method of a material can be obtained if more than one condition is
used. In case two conditions are employed, a Flow Rate Ratio
2.2 ANSI Standard:
(FRR) may be obtained by dividing the flow rate at one
condition by the flow rate at the other condition.
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This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics
5. Apparatus
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.30 on Thermal Properties
5.1 Plastometer:
(Section D20.30.08).
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 2000. Published January 2001. Originally
published as D 1238 – 65 T. Last previous edition D 1238 – 99.
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01. Available from the American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd St.,
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. 13th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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