ASTM D543-20

Standard Practices for Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 There are limitations of the results obtained from these practices. The choice of types and concentrations of reagents, duration of immersion or stress, or both, level of stress, temperature of the test, and properties to be reported are necessarily arbitrary. The specification of these conditions provides a basis for standardization and serves as a guide to investigators wishing to compare the relative resistance of various plastics to chemical reagents.  
4.2 Correlation of test results with the actual performance or serviceability of plastics is necessarily dependent upon the similarity between the testing and the end-use conditions. For applications involving continuous immersion, the data obtained in short-time tests are of interest only in eliminating the most unsuitable materials or indicating a probable relative order of resistance to chemical reagents.  
4.3 Evaluation of plastics for special applications involving corrosive conditions shall be based upon the particular reagents and concentrations to be encountered. Base the selection of test conditions on the manner and duration of contact with reagents, the temperature of the system, applied stress, and other performance factors involved in the particular application.  
4.4 The practices present general guidelines without covering specifics on all the varied applications of plastics, such as use in automobiles and exposure to various automotive fluids, or use in hospital environments with exposure to disinfectants and cleaning fluids. These practices can be extended to such applications with specifics on the study conducted noted in the report.  
4.5 The use of appropriate controls is critical to evaluate the utility of the information generated by these practices. Particular attention should be given to the variability in the data generated, especially for the baseline controls, and issues in data generation reported to mitigate misuse of information.
SCOPE
1.1 These practices cover the evaluation of all plastic materials including cast, hot-molded, cold-molded, laminated resinous products, and sheet materials for resistance to chemical reagents.  
1.2 Three procedures are presented, two under practice A (Immersion Test), and one under practice B (Mechanical Stress and Reagent Exposure under Standardized Conditions of Applied Strain). These practices include provisions for reporting changes in weight, dimensions, appearance, color, strength, and other mechanical properties. Standard reagents are specified to establish results on a comparable basis without precluding the use of other chemical reagents pertinent to specific chemical resistance requirements. Provisions are made for various exposure times, stress conditions, and exposure to reagents at elevated temperatures. The type of conditioning (immersion or wet patch) depends upon the end-use of the material. If the material is used as a container or transfer line, immersion of the specimens is used. If the material will only see short exposures or will be used in proximity and reagent will splash or spill on the material, the wet patch method of applying reagent to the material is used.
Note 1: Practice B for evaluating environmental stress cracking resistance differs from Practice D7474, which seeks to measure residual stresses in molded sulfone plastic parts with the use of calibrated chemical reagents. Practice B differs from Test Method D1693, which seeks to quantify the susceptibility of ethylene plastics to environmental stress-cracking subjected to specific conditions, by measuring the proportion of specimens that crack in a given time.  
1.3 The effect of chemical reagents on properties shall be determined by making measurements on standard specimens for such tests before and after immersion or stress, or both, if so tested.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.5 ...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Jan-2020
• ICS: 83.080.01 - Plastics in general
• Technical Committee: D20 - Plastics
• Drafting Committee: D20.50 - Durability of Plastics

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: D543 − 20
Standard Practices for
Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to Chemical
1
Reagents
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D543; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
1.1 These practices cover the evaluation of all plastic
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
materials including cast, hot-molded, cold-molded, laminated
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
resinous products, and sheet materials for resistance to chemi-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
cal reagents.
Specific hazards statements are given in Section 7.
1.2 Three procedures are presented, two under practice A
NOTE 2—ISO 175 and ISO 22088 Part 3 address the same subject
(ImmersionTest), and one under practice B (Mechanical Stress
matter as PracticesAand B of this standard, but differ in technical content
and Reagent Exposure under Standardized Conditions of
and the results cannot be directly compared.
Applied Strain). These practices include provisions for report-
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
ingchangesinweight,dimensions,appearance,color,strength,
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
and other mechanical properties. Standard reagents are speci-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
fied to establish results on a comparable basis without preclud-
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
ing the use of other chemical reagents pertinent to specific
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
chemical resistance requirements. Provisions are made for
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
various exposure times, stress conditions, and exposure to
reagents at elevated temperatures. The type of conditioning
2. Referenced Documents
(immersion or wet patch) depends upon the end-use of the
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
material. If the material is used as a container or transfer line,
D13 Specification for Spirits of Turpentine
immersion of the specimens is used. If the material will only
D396 Specification for Fuel Oils
see short exposures or will be used in proximity and reagent
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
will splash or spill on the material, the wet patch method of
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
applying reagent to the material is used.
D1040 Specification for Uninhibited Mineral Insulating Oil
NOTE 1—Practice B for evaluating environmental stress cracking
for Use in Transformers and in Oil Circuit Breakers
resistance differs from Practice D7474, which seeks to measure residual
3
(Withdrawn 1980)
stressesinmoldedsulfoneplasticpartswiththeuseofcalibratedchemical
D1693 Test Method for Environmental Stress-Cracking of
reagents. Practice B differs from Test Method D1693, which seeks to
quantify the susceptibility of ethylene plastics to environmental stress- Ethylene Plastics
cracking subjected to specific conditions, by measuring the proportion of
D2244 Practice for Calculation of Color Tolerances and
specimens that crack in a given time.
Color Differences from Instrumentally Measured Color
1.3 The effect of chemical reagents on properties shall be
Coordinates
determined by making measurements on standard specimens
D5947 Test Methods for Physical Dimensions of Solid
for such tests before and after immersion or stress, or both, if
Plastics Specimens
so tested.
D7474 Practice for Determining Residual Stresses in Ex-
truded or Molded Sulfone Plastic (SP) Parts byImmersion
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
in Various Chemical Reagents
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
only.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
1
These practices are under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D20 on Plastics contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.50 on Durability of Plastics. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2020. Published March 2020. Originally the ASTM website.
3
approved in 1939. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as D543 - 14. DOI: The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
10.1520/D0543-20. www.astm.org.
*A Summary of Changes sectio
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D543 − 14 D543 − 20
Standard Practices for
Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to Chemical
1
Reagents
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D543; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 These practices cover the evaluation of all plastic materials including cast, hot-molded, cold-molded, laminated resinous
products, and sheet materials for resistance to chemical reagents.
1.2 These practices cover the evaluation of all plastic materials including cast, hot-molded, cold-molded, laminated resinous
products, and sheet materials for resistance to chemical reagents. Three procedures are presented, two under practice A (Immersion
Test), and one under practice B (Mechanical Stress and Reagent Exposure under Standardized Conditions of Applied Strain). These
practices include provisions for reporting changes in weight, dimensions, appearance, and strength color, strength, and other
mechanical properties. Standard reagents are specified to establish results on a comparable basis. basis without precluding the use
of other chemical reagents pertinent to specific chemical resistance requirements. Provisions are made for various exposure times,
stress conditions, and exposure to reagents at elevated temperatures. The type of conditioning (immersion or wet patch) depends
upon the end-use of the material. If the material is used as a container or transfer line, immerse the specimens. immersion of the
specimens is used. If the material will only see short exposures or will be used in proximity and reagent will splash or spill on
the material, use the wet patch method of applying reagent.reagent to the material is used.
NOTE 1—Practice B for evaluating environmental stress cracking resistance differs from Practice D7474, which seeks to measure residual stresses in
molded sulfone plastic parts with the use of calibrated chemical reagents. Practice B differs from Test Method D1693, which seeks to quantify the
susceptibility of ethylene plastics to environmental stress-cracking subjected to specific conditions, by measuring the proportion of specimens that crack
in a given time.
1.3 The effect of chemical reagents on other properties shall be determined by making measurements on standard specimens
for such tests before and after immersion or stress, or both, if so tested.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 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 safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazards statements are given in Section 7.
NOTE 2—This standard ISO 175 and ISO 22088 Part 3 address the same subject matter, matter as Practices A and B of this standard, but differ in
technical content (andand the results cannot be directly compared between the two test methods).compared.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D13 Specification for Spirits of Turpentine
D396 Specification for Fuel Oils
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
1
These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.50 on Durability of Plastics.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2014Feb. 1, 2020. Published November 2014March 2020. Originally approved in 1939. Last previous edition approved in 20062014 as
D543 - 06.D543 - 14. DOI: 10.1520/D0543-14.10.1520/D0543-20.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary
...