ASTM D5071-99
(Practice)Standard Practice for Exposure of Photodegradable Plastics in a Xenon Arc Apparatus
Standard Practice for Exposure of Photodegradable Plastics in a Xenon Arc Apparatus
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures applicable when Practice G 26 is employed for exposure of degradable plastics. Reference is made to sample preparation and evaluation of test results.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, 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.
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Designation:D5071–99
Standard Practice for
Exposure of Photodegradable Plastics in a Xenon Arc
Apparatus
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5071; 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* D 3826 Practice for Determining Degradation End Point in
Degradable Polyolefins Using a Tensile Test
1.1 This practice covers specific procedures and test condi-
D 3890 Practice for Interlaboratory Testing of Pain and
tions that are applicable for xenon arc exposure of photode-
Related Materials
gradable plastics conducted according to Practices G 151 and
D 5870 Practice for Calculating Property Retention Index
G 155. This practice also covers the preparation of test speci-
of Plastics
mens, the test conditions best suited for photodegradable
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
plastics, and the evaluation of test results.
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
NOTE 1—The previous version of this standard referenced xenon arc
G 26 Practice for Operating Xenon Arc-Type Light Expo-
devices described by Practice G 26, which described very specific
sure Apparatus With and Without Water for Exposure of
equipment designs. Practice G 26 has been replaced by Practice G 151,
Nonmetallic Materials
which describes performance criteria for all exposure devices that use
G 113 Terminology Relating to Natural and Artificial
laboratory light sources and by Practice G 155, which gives requirements
for exposing nonmetallic materials in xenon arc devices. Weathering Tests of Nonmetallic Materials
G 141 Guide forAddressingVariability in ExposureTesting
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
on Nonmetallic Materials
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
G 147 Practice for Conditioning and Handling of Nonme-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
tallic Materials
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
G 151 Practice for Exposing Nonmetallic Materials in ac-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
celerated Test Devices that Use Laboratory Light Sources
NOTE 2—This practice is technically equivalent to ISO 4892-2 and
G 155 Practice for Operating Xenon Arc Light Apparatus
Practice D 2565 which cover xenon arc exposures of plastics intended for
for Exposure of Nonmetallic Materials
long term use in outdoor applications.
2.2 Other Standards:
ISO 4892-2 Plastics—Method of Exposure to Laboratory
2. Referenced Documents
Light Sources—Part 2, Xenon Arc Sources
2.1 ASTM Standards:
Publication C.I.E No. 85 (1989)
D 882 Test Methods for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic
DIN 53384 Testing of Plastics: Artificial Weathering or
Sheeting
ExposureinLaboratoryExposureWeatheringorExposure
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
in Laboratory Exposure Apparatus to UV Radiation
D 1293 Test Methods for pH of Water
D 2565 Practice for Exposure of Plastics Intended for Out-
3. Terminology
door Applications in a Xenon Arc Apparatus
3.1 Definitions—The definitions given in Terminologies
D 3593 Test Method for Molecular Weight Averages and
D 883 and G 113 are applicable to this practice.
Molecular Weight Distribution of Certain Polymers by
Liquid Size-Exclusion Chromatography (Gel Permeation
4. Significance and Use
Chromatography (GPC) Using Universal Calibration
4.1 Materials made from photodegradable plastics are in-
tended to deteriorate rapidly when exposed to solar radiation,
oxygen, heat, moisture and other degrading elements of the
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-20 on Plastics
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmentally
Degradable Plastics.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1999. Published February 2000. Originally
approved as D 5071 – 91. Last previous edition D 5071 – 91. Available fromAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
4 st
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Publication No. CIE 85, 1 Ed., 1989 Technical Report, “Solar Spectral
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Irradiance,” available from U.S. National Committee CIE, Mr.Thomas M. Lemons,
the ASTM website. TLA-Lighting Consultants, Inc., 72 Loring Ave., Salem, MA 01970.
*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.
D5071–99
weather. This practice is used for evaluating the photodegrad- used to evaluate the effects of the exposure on the specimens;
ability of plastics when exposed in an apparatus that produces the test method shall be determined by the parties concerned.
simulated daylight (1,2) and controlled temperature and mois- Where practical, it is recommended that specimens be sized to
ture. The exposure used in this practice is not intended to fit specimen holders and racks supplied with the exposure
simulate the deterioration caused by localized weather phe- apparatus. Unless supplied with a specific backing as an
nomena such as atmospheric pollution, biological attack, and integral part of the test, specimens shall be mounted so that
salt water exposure. There may be no positive correlation of only the minimum specimen area required for support by the
exposure results between this and other laboratory weathering holder is covered. This unexposed surface must not be used as
devices. part of the test area. To provide rigidity, flexible specimens
4.2 Variations in results may be expected when operating shouldbeattachedto,orbackedby,apanelmadeofaluminum,
conditionsarevariedwithintheacceptedlimitsofthispractice. 0.025-in. (0.64-mm) thick.
Therefore, all test results using this practice must be accom- 6.2 Unless otherwise specified, prepare at least three repli-
panied by the specific operating conditions required in Section cate specimens of each test and control material to be exposed.
9. Refer to Practice G 151 for detailed information on the When destructive tests are used for property measurements, a
caveats applicable to use of results obtained according to this separate set of each test and control material must be prepared
practice. for each exposure increment that will be used.
4.3 The results of laboratory exposure cannot be directly 6.3 Retain a supply of unexposed file specimens of all
extrapolated to estimate absolute rate of deterioration by the materials evaluated.
environment because the acceleration factor is material depen- 6.3.1 When destructive tests are used, it is recommended
dent and can be significantly different for each material and for thatasufficientnumberoffilespecimensberetainedsothatthe
differentformulationsofthesamematerial.However,exposure property of interest can be determined on the file specimens
of a similar material of known outdoor performance, a control, each time the exposed materials are evaluated.
atthesametimeasthetestspecimensallowscomparisonofthe 6.4 Specimens should not be removed from the exposure
durability relative to that of the control under the test condi- apparatus for more than 24 h and then returned for additional
tions. Evaluation in terms of relative durabilities also greatly tests, since this type of interruption may alter results. When
improves the agreement in test results among different labora- specimensareremovedfromtheapparatusexposurefor24hor
tories (3). more then returned for additional exposure, report the elapsed
4.4 Test results will depend on the care that is taken to time in accordance with Section 10.
operate the equipment according to Practice G 155. Significant
NOTE 4—Since the stability of the file specimen may also be time-
factors include regulation of line voltage, freedom from salt or
dependent, users are cautioned that over prolonged exposure periods, or
other deposits from water, temperature and humidity control
when small differences in the order of acceptable limits are anticipated,
and condition and age of the burners and filters.
comparisonofexposedspecimenswiththefilespecimenmaynotbevalid.
Instrumental measurements are recommended whenever possible.
NOTE 3—Additional information on sources of variability and on
strategies for addressing variability in the design, execution and data
6.5 Follow the procedures described in Practice G 147 for
analysis of laboratory accelerated exposure tests is found in Guide G 141.
identification and conditioning and handling of specimens of
4.5 Before proceeding with this practice, reference should
test, control, and reference materials prior to, during, and after
be made to the specifications of the material being tested.Any
exposure.
test specimen preparation, conditioning, dimensions, or testing
6.6 Do not mask the face of a specimen for the purpose of
parameters, or combination thereof, covered in the material
showing on one panel the effects of various exposure times.
specificationshalltakeprecedenceoverthosementionedinthis
Misleadingresultsmaybeobtainedsincethemarkedportionof
practice. If there are no material specifications, then the default
the specimen is still exposed to temperature and humidity
conditions apply.
cycles that, in many cases, will affect results.
6.7 Since the thickness of a specimen may markedly affect
5. Apparatus
the results, thickness of test and control specimens shall be
5.1 The exposure apparatus employed shall use as the
within 610 % of the nominal dimensions.
source of radiation a xenon arc lamp and apparatus which
NOTE 5—Thickness of a specimen is especially important when me-
conforms to the requirements defined in Practices G 151 and
chanical properties are being investigated.
G 155.
5.1.1 Unless otherwise specified, the spectral power distri-
7. Procedure
bution (SPD) of the xenon lamp shall conform to the require-
7.1 It is recommended that a control material be exposed
ments of Table 1 in Practice G 155 for a xenon lamp with
simultaneously with experimental materials for determination
daylight filters.
of relative performance.
6. Test Specimens
7.2 Mount the test specimens in the specimen racks with the
6.1 The size and shape of specimens to be exposed will be
test surfaces facing the lamp. When the test specimens do not
determined by the specifications of the particular test method
completelyfilltheracks,filltheemptyspaceswithblankmetal
panels to maintain the test conditions within the chamber.
7.3 Confine specimens to an exposure area where the
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of references at the end of
this standard. irradiance is at least 90 % of that measured at the center of the
D5071–99
exposure area. In areas where the irradiance is between 70 and 7.6.2 Follow the requirements for water purity described in
90 %ofmaximumirradiance,eitherrepositionaccordingtothe Practice G 151.
schedule agreed upon by all concerned parties, or randomly 7.6.3 If specimens are found to have deposits or stains after
position replicate specimens and determine the average change exposure in the apparatus, check the water purity to determine
in property. Determine irradiance uniformity in accordance if it meets the requirements of 7.6.2. On some occasions,
with Practice G 151. exposed specimens are contaminated by deposits from bacteria
7.4 Table 1 describes three cycles that have been used for that grow in the purified water used for specimen spray. If
xenon arc exposure of photodegradable plastics. Unless other- bacterial contamination is detected, flush the entire system
wise specified, use Cycle 1 for exposure of materials that will used for specimen water spray with chlorine and thoroughly
be tested for toxicity after exposure. Obtain mutual agreement rinse prior to resuming exposures.
among all concerned parties for the specific exposure cycle to 7.6.4 When the water purity requirements above are met,
be used. Other test conditions may be used by mutual consent and there is disagreement between parties on the extent of
provided that the conditions are reported in conformance with problems caused by stain or deposit, run referee tests in at least
Section 9. Different conditions may result in significant differ- one other laboratory that can meet the water quality require-
ences in test results. ments described in Practice G 151.
7.4.1 Unless otherwise specified, control the irradiance to
8. Period of Exposure and Evaluation of Test Results
produce either: (1) 0.35 6 0.02 W/m at 340 nm, (2) 41.5 6
2 2
2.5 W/m between 300 and 400 nm, or (3) 365 6 20 W/m 8.1 In most cases, periodic evaluation of test and control
between 300 and 800 nm. If the exposure device is not materials is necessary to determine the variation in magnitude
equipped with irradiance control, follow the device manufac- anddirectionofpropertychangeasafunctionofexposuretime
turer’s recommendations to produce this irradiance, or other or radiant exposure.
specified irradiance level. 8.2 The time or radiant exposure necessary to produce a
7.4.2 Unless otherwise specified, the equilibrium tempera- defined change in a material property can be used to evaluate
ture of an uninsulated black panel thermometer is 63 6 2.5°C. or rank the stability of materials.This method is preferred over
7.4.3 Unless otherwise specified, in devices that allow for evaluating materials after an arbitrary exposure time or radiant
controlofrelativehumidity,maintainrelativehumidityat50 6 exposure.
5 % equilibrium during the light-only interval. 8.2.1 Exposure to an arbitrary time or radiant exposure may
7.5 Do not remove specimens from the exposure apparatus be used for the purpose of a specific test if agreed upon by the
for more than 24 h and then returned for additional testing, parties concerned or if required for conformance to a particular
since this type of interruption may alter results. Report any specification. When a single exposure period is used, select a
elapsed time in accordance with Section 9. time or radiant exposure that will produce the largest perfor-
7.6 Water Purity: mance differences between the test materials or between the
7.6.1 The purity of water used for specimen spray is very test material and the control material.
important.Without proper treatment to remove cations, anions, 8.2.2 The minimum exposure time used shall be that nec-
organics and particularly silica, exposed panels will develop essary to produce a substantial ch
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