Artificial weathering in fluorescent UV chamber according to ASTM G154

The ISO 4589-2 oxygen index test is used to evaluate the fire behavior of certain railway materials according to the EN 45545-2 standard. It is required to meet requirements R22, R23, and R24, which apply to products such as insulators, seals, pipes, and hoses. The oxygen index (OI) is the minimum volume-based percentage of oxygen in an oxygen-nitrogen mixture required to support the combustion of the sample under specified conditions. For a material to meet EN 45545-2 requirements, the OI must be at least 28% (hazard classes HL1 and HL2) or at least 32% (HL3). Testing is performed on 20 replicate samples, with the required specimen size depending on the material: 80−150 mm x 10 mm x 4 mm for mould-made materials, such as plastics, 80−150 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm for porous materials, such as foams, 140 mm x 52 mm x d, where d < 10.5 mm, for flexible films, sheets, and fabrics.

These analyses (IEC 62631-3-1 and IEC 62631-3-2) measure the resistive properties of solid plastics under direct current (DC) conditions. Flat plates of the sample are placed between two electrodes, and a known DC voltage is applied. For volume resistivity (IEC 62631-3-1), the current flowing through the bulk material is measured. For surface resistivity (IEC 62631-3-2), the current along the surface is measured. Resistivity values are calculated from the applied voltage and measured current. The tests are typically conducted in triplicate at 23 °C and 50% RH after conditioning the samples for 4 days at 23 °C and 50% RH. Samples should have a thickness close to their intended application. Surface and volume resistivity analyses conducted at cryogenic and elevated temperatures (up to 250°C) are also available, as well as other electrical tests for plastic materials, including those conducted according to ASTM standards. Please contact our experts for a quote tailored to your project.

GC-MS analysis of 16 PAH compounds, which are listed as high-priority pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The analyzed PAH compounds are: naphthalene [CAS: 91-20-3], acenaphthylene [CAS: 208-96-8], acenaphthene [CAS: 83-32-9], fluorene [CAS: 86-73-7], phenanthrene [CAS: 85-01-8], anthracene [CAS: 120-12-7], fluoranthene [CAS: 206-44-0], pyrene [CAS: 129-00-0], benz(a)anthracene [CAS: 56-55-3], chrysene [CAS: 218-01-9], benzo(b)fluoranthene [CAS: 205-99-2], benzo(k)fluoranthene [CAS: 207-08-9], benzo (a) pyrene [CAS: 50-32-8], dibenzo(ah)anthracene [CAS: 53-70-3], benzo (ghi) perylene [CAS: 191-24-2], indeno (123cd) pyrene [CAS: 193-39-5].

European standard EN 717-1 outlines a chamber method for measuring formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels. During testing, test pieces are placed in a chamber with controlled temperature, relative humidity, loading factor, and air exchange rate. Formaldehyde concentration in the air is then measured at specified intervals until a steady state concentration has been reached. The results are expressed in mg/m3. The EN 717-1 method is equivalent to that described in Appendix 14 to Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1464, which states that certain formaldehyde-releasing articles must not be placed on the market after 6 August 2026. To comply with the regulation, materials must not release formaldehyde in excess of the following values: 0.062 mg/m3 for furniture and wood-based articles, 0.080 mg/m3 for articles other than furniture and wood-based articles.

A biodegradation analysis for determining how materials decompose in soil, conforming to the ISO 17556 standard. This standard is specific to aerobic biodegradation in soil environments, where organic materials are broken down into carbon dioxide (CO2). Please note that this analysis focuses exclusively on aerobic biodegradation and does not cover chemical analyses, material disintegration, or ecotoxicity evaluations, which are essential for a full understanding of the environmental impact of the degradation process. The analysis is, nonetheless, a valuable tool for comparing different product formulations in the initial stages of development, prior to more comprehensive biodegradability assessments. The cost of this test varies depending on the test duration. Test durations ranging from 3 months up to 24 months.

Determination of industrial compostability of plastic-based products and packaging according to ASTM D6400. The standard defines pass/fail criteria for labeling products as compostable in municipal or industrial aerobic composting facilities, covering both the material itself and the compost it produces. Four complementary tests are required for a full compostability assessment: Aerobic biodegradation: samples are incubated under composting conditions and CO₂ evolution is monitored; the pass criterion is ≥90% carbon conversion to CO₂ within the defined timeframe., Disintegration: composted material is sieved through a 2 mm mesh; the pass criterion is ≤10% fragment mass remaining., Ecotoxicity: compost produced from the test material is applied to plant tests measuring germination rate and biomass relative to blank controls; both must reach ≥90% of control values., Heavy metals: concentrations of regulated metals in the material or residue must not exceed 50% of the limits prescribed for composts and biosolids under EPA regulations.. Results are reported as percentage carbon mineralization, percentage mass passing the sieve, plant germination rate and relative biomass as a percentage of controls, and metal concentrations in mg/kg dry weight. ASTM D6400 is the primary standard for substantiating industrial compostability claims in the U.S. In Europe, the functionally comparable standard is EN 13432, which is referenced in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

Accelerated weathering test exposing coated panels to simulated sunlight, heat, and moisture in a xenon-arc chamber according to ASTM G155. The method reproduces the degradation effects of outdoor exposure, or exposure through window glass, in a controlled laboratory setting, allowing material durability and weathering resistance to be assessed in significantly less time than real-time outdoor testing. The xenon-arc lamp produces a full-spectrum light output covering UV, visible, and infrared radiation. Optical filters are selected based on the intended service environment: daylight filters simulate direct outdoor sunlight, while window glass filters simulate indoor exposure to sunlight filtered through glass. Specimens are subjected to repetitive cycles combining controlled light, elevated temperature, and moisture (delivered as water spray or condensation) with exposure conditions defined by the selected test cycle. The standard includes 14 predefined cycles covering a range of applications and end-use environments. The default offered test conditions are 1000 hours of exposure in a Q-SUN xenon-arc chamber with a Daylight Q filter, which produces a daylight spectral power distribution. Alternative exposure durations, filter types, and test cycles are available upon request. Typical properties evaluated after exposure include: Color change and fading, Gloss retention, Surface degradation: cracking, crazing, chalking, and delamination, Changes in mechanical properties, such as tensile or flexural strength. ASTM G155 does not itself define acceptance criteria or pass/fail thresholds, but is rather a practice for operating the exposure apparatus, and is used in conjunction with material-specific standards or customer-defined performance requirements. No direct correlation exists between accelerated exposure duration and outdoor service life; results are best used for comparative ranking of materials or compliance with specified exposure requirements. Please specify the required test cycle, exposure duration, filter type, and any post-exposure property evaluations when requesting a quote.

Determination of methane transmission rate of plastic films and sheet-like materials with the differential pressure method (ISO 15105-1). Testing is performed on two parallel samples. Measurement temperature can be chosen from 0 °C to 200 °C with a relative humidity of 0%. Fragile samples can be measured with the equal pressure method (ISO 15105-2) for an additional fee.

X-Ray Reflectometry (XRR) analysis is used to measure the density (g/cm3), thickness (nm), and roughness (nm) of thin films. The method is applicable to the characterization of single- or multilayered thin films, as it provides information on the thickness and density of individual layers of the sample material as well as the roughness of the interphases. Greatest accuracy for XRR thickness measurements is generally achieved for samples containing 1-150 nm thick surface layers with under 5 nm RMS roughness. Thicker films and coatings with rougher surfaces can also be characterized, but the accuracy of thickness determination decreases as the thickness and roughness of the film or film stack increase. >150 mm wafers are typically cut to fit the sample holder. Please let us know if you need testing for larger wafers that cannot be cut into pieces. The available temperature range for XRR measurements is 25-1100 °C, and crystallinity can be studied as a function of temperature. The measurements can be performed under a normal atmosphere, inert gas, or vacuum. Measurements are typically performed using one of the following instruments: Rigaku SmartLab, Panalytical X'Pert Pro MRD, Bruker D8 Discover. Please let us know if you have a preference for a specific instrument.

The burning rate of horizontally mounted materials designed to be used in vehicles and buses must be tested with the UN/ECE R118 annex 6 test before they can be approved for use. Measurlabs offers this and the other R118 tests with accreditation. In the test method, the exposed side of the test specimen is burned from underneath and the burning rate is measured and expressed in mm/min.