ASTM D4800-94(1999)

Standard Guide for Classifying and Specifying Adhesives

SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides a classification system for tabulating the properties of adhesives suitable for holding parts or assemblies together. The use of this guide also provides information necessary for the development of standard specifications for adhesives.  Note 1-This classification system may serve many of the needs of industries using adhesives. This guide is subject to revision as the need requires; therefore, the latest revision should always be used.
1.2 Limitations -This classification system is intended to be a means of identifying adhesives. It is not intended for the selection of materials. Material selection should be made by those having expertise in the adhesives field after careful consideration of the design and the performance required of the part, the environment to which it will be exposed, the attachment process to be employed, the inherent properties of the material not covered in this document, and the economic factors.  
1.3 This classification system is based on the premise that adhesives can be arranged into broad generic families using basic properties to arrange the materials into groups, classes, and grades.  
1.4 In all cases where the provisions of this classification system would conflict with the referenced ASTM specification for a particular material, the latter shall take precedence.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units, as detailed in Practice E380, are to be regarded as the standard.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Oct-1999
• ICS: 83.180 - Adhesives
• Technical Committee: D14 - Adhesives
• Drafting Committee: D14.60 - Adhesive Material Classification System

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM D4800-94(2005) - Standard Guide for Classifying and Specifying Adhesives
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2005
• Referred By: ASTM D6465-99(2016) - Standard Guide for Selecting Aerospace and General Purpose Adhesives and Sealants
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1999
• Referred By: ASTM D5363-16 - Standard Specification for Anaerobic Single-Component Adhesives (AN)
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1999
• Referred By: ASTM F2468-05(2019) - Standard Classification for Specifying Silicone Adhesives and Sealants for Transportation Applications
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1999

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.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: D 4800 – 94 (Reapproved 1999)
Standard Guide for
Classifying and Specifying Adhesives
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4800; 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. Scope Liquids by Tag Open-Cup Apparatus
D 2240 Test Method for Rubber Property—Durometer
1.1 This guide provides a classification system for tabulat-
Hardness
ing the properties of adhesives suitable for holding parts or
D 2583 Test Method for Indentation Hardness of Rigid
assemblies together. The use of this guide also provides
Plastics by Means of a Barcol Impressor
information necessary for the development of standard speci-
D 2834 Test Method for Nonvolatile Matter (Total Solids)
fications for adhesives.
in Water-Emulsion Floor Polishes, Solvent-Based Floor
NOTE 1—This classification system may serve many of the needs of 7
Polishes, and Polymer-Emulsion Floor Polishes
industries using adhesives. This guide is subject to revision as the need
D 3278 Test Methods for Flash Point of Liquids by Small
requires; therefore, the latest revision should always be used.
Scale Closed-Cup Apparatus
1.2 Limitations—Thisclassificationsystemisintendedtobe
D 4562 Test Method for Shear Strength ofAdhesives Using
a means of identifying adhesives. It is not intended for the 2
Pin-and-Collar Specimen
selection of materials. Material selection should be made by
D 5363 Specification for Anaerobic Single-Component Ad-
those having expertise in the adhesives field after careful 2
hesives (AN)
considerationofthedesignandtheperformancerequiredofthe
E 380 Practice for Use of the International System of Units
part, the environment to which it will be exposed, the attach-
(SI) (the Modernized Metric System)
ment process to be employed, the inherent properties of the
2.2 Military Standards:
material not covered in this document, and the economic
MIL-STD-105 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspec-
factors.
tion by Attributes
1.3 This classification system is based on the premise that
MIL-A-46146 Adhesive, Silicone, RTV, Noncorrosive (for
adhesives can be arranged into broad generic families using
Use with Sensitive Metals and Equipment)
basic properties to arrange the materials into groups, classes,
3. Terminology
and grades.
1.4 In all cases where the provisions of this classification
3.1 The terms used in this guide are in accordance with
system would conflict with the referencedASTM specification
Terminology D 907.
for a particular material, the latter shall take precedence.
4. Significance and Use
1.5 The values stated in SI units, as detailed in Practice
E 380, are to be regarded as the standard.
4.1 The purpose of this classification system is to provide a
method of identifying adhesives in order to give industry a
2. Referenced Documents
system that can be used universally for materials. It further
2.1 ASTM Standards:
provides a means for specifying these materials by the use of
D 907 Terminology of Adhesives
the standards that are developed using this guide.
D 1084 Test Methods for Viscosity of Adhesives
4.2 This classification system was developed to permit the
D 1298 Practice for Density, Relative Density (Specific
addition of future adhesives.
Gravity), or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid
5. Classification
Petroleum Products by Hydrometer Method
D 1310 Test Method for Flash Point and Fire Point of
5.1 Fig. 1 summarizes the classification system as detailed
in this guide.
1 4
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-14 on Adhesives Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D14.60 on Materials Classification. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 09.01.
Current edition approved Feb. 15, 1994. Published April 1994. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.02.
published as D 4800 – 87. Last previous edition D 4800 – 87. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.04.
2 8
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.06. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
3 9
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.01. AvailablefromStandardizationDocumentsOrderDesk,Bldg.4SectionD,700
Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 4800
12 3 4 5
| SPECIFIC | CELL REQUIREMENTS |
| | Table | Suffix
Broad Group Class Grade ZZXXX
Generic XX X X XXX
Type Properties
NOTE 1—
1 5 Two or more letters identify the generic family based on abbreviations from Table 1.
2 5 Fourdigitsidentifythespecifictype.Thefirsttwodigitsidentifythegroup.Thenextdigitidentifiestheclassandthelastdigitidentifiesthegrade.
A basic property table will provide property values for the specific material (see 5.2).
3 5 One letter refers to a cell table listing of physical specifications and test methods.
4 5 Four digits refer to the specific physical parameters listed in the cell table.
5 5 Suffix codes indicate special requirements based on the application and identify special tests (two letters with three digits).
FIG. 1 Classification System
5.2 Adhesives shall be classified on the basis of their broad 5.4 To facilitate the identification of new or special materi-
generic family. The generic family is identified by letter als where basic property tables are not provided in a material
designations as found in Table 1. specification, cell tables will be used.These tables shall appear
in the material specifications. (See example of cell table in Fig.
NOTE 2—For example: CA 5 Cyanoacrylate.
2.)
5.2.1 The generic family is based on the broad chemical
5.4.1 Althoughthevalueslistedinthecelltablesincludethe
makeup of the base materials. By its designation, certain
range of properties available in existing materials, users should
inherent properties are specified.
notinferthateverypossiblecombinationofpropertiesexistsor
5.3 The generic family is classified into groups according,
can be obtained.
in general, to the chemical composition. These groups are
5.4.2 The requirements for special adhesives will use the
further subdivided into classes and grades, as shown in the
classification system, as described, by the addition of a single
basic property table that applies. The letter designation appli-
letter that indicates the proper cell table in which the properties
cable is followed by a four-digit number indicating group,
are listed.Aspecific value is designated by the cell number for
class, and grade.
each property in the order in which they are listed in the table.
5.3.1 The basic property tables have been developed to
When a property is not to be specified, a zero is entered as the
identify the commercially available adhesives into groups,
cell number. Likewise, when an acceptable value is not
classes, and grades. These tables are found in the standards
available in the cell table, the number 9 should be used and a
listed in Table 1.
suffix used indicating the specific value (see 7.1). Th
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