ASTM D4459 – Standard Practice for Xenon-Arc Exposure of Plastics Intended for Indoor Applications
Description:
Significance and Use
4.1 This practice is intended to simulate the effects produced by exposure to solar radiation through glass. This practice uses exposure in a xenon-arc device equipped with window glass filters and operated in accordance with Practices G151 and G155.
Note 2: Practice D4674 describes exposures in a device that uses a combination of fluorescent “cool white” and ultraviolet (UV) lamps to simulate the effects of exposures to indoor fluorescent light and window glass filtered daylight.
4.2 Warning—Variation in results may be expected when operating conditions are varied within the accepted limits of this practice. Therefore, all references to the use of this practice must be accompanied by a report prepared in accordance with Section 9 that describes the specific operating conditions used. Refer to Practice G151 for detailed information on the caveats applicable to use of results obtained in accordance with this practice.
Note 3: Additional information on sources of variability and on strategies for addressing variability in the design, execution and data analysis of laboratory accelerated exposure tests is found in Guide G141.
4.3 Test results will depend upon the care that is taken to operate the equipment in accordance with Practice G155. Significant factors include regulation of line voltage, temperature and humidity control, and condition and age of the lamps and filters.
4.4 Reproducibility of test results between laboratories has been shown to be good when the stability of materials is evaluated in terms of performance ranking compared to other materials or to a control.4,5 Therefore, exposure of a similar material of known performance (a control) at the same time as the test materials is strongly recommended. The number of specimens of the control material should be the same as that used for test materials. It is recommended that at least three replicates of each material be exposed to allow for statistical evaluation of results.
Scope
1.1 This practice covers specific procedures and test conditions that are applicable for exposure of plastics in window glass-filtered xenon-arc devices in accordance with Practices G151 and G155 for evaluating the stability of plastics intended for use in indoor applications.
ASTM D4458