ASTM-D1525-09

Designation:D1525−09StandardTestMethodforVicatSofteningTemperatureofPlastics1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD1525;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.ThisstandardhasbeenapprovedforusebyagenciesoftheDepartmentofDefense.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodcoversdeterminationofthetempera-tureatwhichaspecifiedneedlepenetrationoccurswhenspecimensaresubjectedtospecifiedcontrolledtestconditions.1.2Thistestmethodisnotrecommendedforethylcellu-lose,nonrigidpoly(vinylchloride),poly(vinylidenechloride),orothermaterialshavingawideVicatsofteningrange.1.3ThevaluesstatedinSIunitsaretoberegardedasstandard.1.4Duetothepotentialsafetyandenvironmentalhazardsassociatedwithmercury-filledthermometers,theuseofalter-nativetemperaturemeasuringdevices(suchasthermocouplesandRTDs)isencouraged.1.5Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.NOTE1—ThistestmethodisequivalenttoISO306inallsectionswiththeexceptionsoftheallowanceforcreep,priortothebeginningofthetestandtheallowanceofthefluidizedpowderasaheattransfermedium.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:2D618PracticeforConditioningPlasticsforTestingD883TerminologyRelatingtoPlasticsD1898PracticeforSamplingofPlastics(Withdrawn1998)3E1SpecificationforASTMLiquid-in-GlassThermometersE77TestMethodforInspectionandVerificationofTher-mometersE608/E608MSpecificationforMineral-Insulated,Metal-SheathedBaseMetalThermocouplesE691PracticeforConductinganInterlaboratoryStudytoDeterminethePrecisionofaTestMethodE1137/E1137MSpecificationforIndustrialPlatinumResis-tanceThermometers2.2ISOStandards:4ISO306Plastics—ThermoplasticMaterial—DeterminationofVicatSofteningTemperature3.Terminology3.1Definitions:3.1.1DefinitionsofplasticsusedinthistestmethodareinaccordancewiththosedefinedinTerminologyD883,unlessotherwisespecified.3.1.2Vicatsofteningtemperature—thetemperatureatwhichaflat-endedneedleof1-mm2circularcrosssectionwillpenetrateathermoplasticspecimentoadepthof1mmunderaspecifiedloadusingaselecteduniformrateoftemperaturerise.4.SummaryofTestMethod4.1Aflat-endedneedleloadedwithaspecifiedmassisplacedindirectcontactwithatestspecimen.Themassappliedcanbeoneoftwoacceptedloads,asfollows:Loading121060.2NLoading225061.0NThespecimenandneedleareheatedateitheroftwopermis-siblerates,asfollows:RateA25065°C/hRateB2120610°C/hThetemperatureatwhichtheneedlehaspenetratedtoadepthof160.01mmisrecordedastheVicatsofteningtemperature.5.SignificanceandUse5.1Dataobtainedbythistestmethodisusedtocomparetheheat-softeningqualitiesofthermoplasticmaterials.1ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlasticsandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD20.30onThermalProperties(SectionD20.30.07).CurrenteditionapprovedNov.15,2009.PublishedDecember2009.Originallyapprovedin1958.Lastpreviouseditionapprovedin2007asD1525-07.DOI:10.1520/D1525-09.2ForreferencedASTMstandards,visittheASTMwebsite,@astm.org.ForAnnualBookofASTMStandardsvolumeinformation,refertothestandard’sDocumentSummarypageontheASTMwebsite.3Thelastapprovedversionofthishistoricalstandardisreferencedon(ANSI),25W.43rdSt.,4thFloor,NewYork,NY10036,*ASummaryofChangessectionappearsattheendofthisstandardCopyright©ASTMInternational,100BarrHarborDrive,POBoxC700,WestConshohocken,PA19428-2959.UnitedStates15.2Thistestmethodisusefulintheareasofqualitycontrol,development,andcharacterizationofplasticmaterials.6.Apparatus6.1Theinstrumentshallhaveaheatingsystemconsistingofaheatedbath(seeFig.1)oracontactheatingsystem(seeFig.2):Theequipmentshallbeconstructedessentiallyasshowninandshallconsistofthefollowing:6.1.1ImmersionBath—Animmersionbathcontainingtheheat-transfermediumshallbeequippedwithanagitationsystem,temperature-measuringdevice,andheater.Theheatershallhaveautomaticcontroloftheselectedbathtemperature-riserate(see4.1).Thebathshouldbeconstructedtoallowthespecimenstobesubmergedatleast35mmbelowthesurfaceoftheheat-transfermedium.6.1.1.1Heat-TransferMedium—Shallbealiquidorfluid-izedpowder.5Severalliquids,suchassiliconeoils,glycerine,ethyleneglycol,andmineraloilhavebeenusedsuccessfullyforvariousplastics.6Themediumusedshallbefreefromcontaminantsandshallhavenoshort-timeeffectatelevatedtemperaturesonthematerialbeingtested,liquidmediumsshallbeoflowviscosityatroomtemperature.Theresultsofthetestsometimesdependonthethermaldiffusivityoftheheat-transfermedium.6.1.2ContactHeatingUnit—Shallconsistofheaterandheaterblockswhich,throughconductiveheating,raisesthetemperatureofthespecimenattherequiredcontrolledrateuntiltheVICATSofteningTemperatureisreached.NOTE2—Itisdesirabletohaveamethodofcoolingthebat