ASTM International

Standard Practices for Evaluating the Age Resistance of Polymeric Materials Used in Oxygen Service
 N G114

Annotation

These practices describe procedures that are used to determine the age resistance of plastic, thermosetting, elastomeric, and polymer matrix composite materials exposed to oxygen-containing media.

While these practices focus on evaluating the age resistance of polymeric materials in oxygen-containing media prior to ignition and combustion testing, they also have relevance for evaluating the age resistance of metals, and nonmetallic oils and greases.

These practices address both established procedures that have a foundation of experience and new procedures that have yet to be validated. The latter are included to promote research and later elaboration in this practice as methods of the former type.

The results of these practices may not give exact correlation with service performance since service conditions vary widely and may involve multiple factors such as those listed in subsection 5.8.

Three procedures are described for evaluating the age resistance of polymeric materials depending on application and information sought.

Procedure A: Natural Aging—This procedure is used to simulate the effect(s) of one or more service stressors on a material's oxygen resistance, and is suitable for evaluating materials that experience continuous or intermittent exposure to elevated temperature during service.

Procedure B: Accelerated Aging Comparative Oxygen Resistance—This procedure is suitable for evaluating materials that are used in ambient temperature service, or at a temperature that is otherwise lower than the aging temperature, and is useful for developing oxygen compatibility rankings on a laboratory comparison basis.