ASTM International

Standard Test Method for Determining Gel Content in Crosslinked Ethylene Plastics Using Pressurized Liquid Extraction
 N D7567

Annotation

The gel content of crosslinked ethylene plastics is determined by solvent extraction with xylene or toluene. This test method is applicable to ethylene plastics of all densities, including those containing fillers; provided the fillers are insoluble in the extraction solvent(s).

This test method uses pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) to increase the speed and reduce the amount of solvent required for solvent extraction. The results of this method are similar to Test Method D2765.

Extraction tests shall be performed on samples of any shape (see 7.2). Specimens shall be selected from those portions of the article most susceptible to insufficient crosslinking or selected from portions representative of the entire article. This test method has been developed for production and quality control of crosslinked polyethylene pipe but may be applicable to other products such as multilayer materials and fibers.

The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

This method makes use of minimal reagents and allows for solvent recovery and re-use. Due to the use of minimal reagents, health and safety concerns are minimized in comparison to other methods.

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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 10.