Designation:D2863–00StandardTestMethodforMeasuringtheMinimumOxygenConcentrationtoSupportCandle-LikeCombustionofPlastics(OxygenIndex)1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD2863;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope*1.1Thistestmethodcoversafire-test-responseprocedure.Thistestmethoddescribesaprocedureformeasuringtheminimumconcentrationofoxygenthatwilljustsupportflamingcombustioninaflowingmixtureofoxygenandnitrogen.1.2Methodsareprovidedfortestingmaterialsthatarestructurallyself-supportingintheformofverticalbarsorsheetupto10.5mmthick.Thesemethodsaresuitableforsolid,laminatedorcellularmaterialscharacterizedbyanapparentdensitygreaterthan15kg/m3.Themethodsmayalsobeapplicabletosomecellularmaterialshavinganapparentdensityoflessthan15kg/m3.Amethodisprovidedfortestingflexiblesheetorfilmmaterialswhilesupportedvertically.NOTE1—Althoughthistestmethodhasbeenfoundapplicablefortestingothermaterials,theprecisionofthetestmethodhasnotbeendeterminedforthesematerials,orforspecimengeometry’sandtestconditionsoutsidethoserecommendedherein.1.3Thistestmethodmaybeusedtomeasureanddescribethepropertiesofmaterials,products,orassembliesinresponsetoheatandflameundercontrolledlaboratoryconditionsandshallnotbeusedtodescribeorappraisethefirehazardorfireriskofmaterials,products,orassembliesunderactualfireconditions.However,resultsofthistestmaybeusedaselementsofafireriskassessmentwhichtakesintoaccountallofthefactorswhicharepertinenttoanassessmentofthefirehazardofaparticularenduse.1.4Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.SpecifichazardsstatementaregiveninNote2.NOTE2—Warning:Duringthecourseofcombustion,gasesorvapors,orboth,areevolvedwhichmaybehazardoustopersonnel.NOTE3—ThistestmethodandISO4589-2aretechnicallyequivalentwhenusingtheTypeAgasmeasurementandcontroldeviceaccuracyasdescribedin6.4.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:D618PracticeforConditioning,PlasticsandElectricalInsulatingMaterialsforTesting2D1071TestMethodsforVolumetricMeasurementofGas-eousFuelSamples3D1622TestMethodforApparentDensityofRigidCellularPlastics2D2444TestMethodforImpactResistanceofThermoplas-ticPipeandFittingsbyMeansofaTup(FallingWeight)4D4802SpecificationforPoly(MethylMethacrylate)AcrylicPlasticSheet5E176TerminologyofFireStandards6E691PracticeforConductinganInterlaboratoryStudytoDeterminethePrecisionofaTestMethod72.2ISOStandards:4589-2Plastics—DeterminationofFlammabilitybyOxy-genIndex—Part2,AmbientTemperatures87823-1Poly(Methylmethacrylate)Sheets—Types,Dimen-sionsandCharacteristics—Part1—CastSheets83.Terminology3.1Definitions:3.1.1ignition—forthepurposeofthisstandardshallimplytheinitiationofflamingcombustion.3.1.2oxygenindex(OI)—theminimumconcentrationofoxygendeterminedbythemethodin9.1,expressedasvolumepercent,inamixtureofoxygenandnitrogenthatwilljustsupportflamingcombustionofamaterialinitiallyat2362°Cundertheconditionsofthistestmethod.3.1.3DefinitionsoftermsrelatingtofireareinaccordancewithTerminologyE176.3.2SymbolsSpecificToThisTestMethod:1ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlasticsandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD20.30onThermalProperties(SectionD20.30).CurrenteditionapprovedJuly10,2000.PublishedOctober2000.OriginallypublishedasD2863–70.LastpreviouseditionD2863–97.2AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol08.01.3AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol05.05.4AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol08.04.5AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol08.03.6AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol04.07.7AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol14.02.8AvailablefromAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute,11W.42ndSt.,13thFloor,NewYork,NY10036.1*ASummaryofChangessectionappearsattheendofthisstandard.Copyright©ASTMInternational,100BarrHarborDrive,POBoxC700,WestConshohocken,PA19428-2959,UnitedStates.3.2.1Co—oxygenconcentrationinpercentvolume.3.2.2CF—finalvalueofoxygenconcentrationinpercentvolume.3.2.3Ci—eachoftheoxygenconcentrationpercentagesusedduringmeasurementofthelastsixresponsesintheNTseries.3.2.4O—neithertheperiodorextentofburningexceedstherelevantlimitspecifiedinTable1.3.2.5X—theperiodorextentofburningexceedstherel-evantlimitspecifiedinTable1.3.2.6NL—seriesof“X”or“O”results.3.2.7NT—seriesof“X”or“O”resultsplusfive(NT=NL+5).3.2.8s*—standarddeviationoftheoxygenconcentration.3.2.9d—internalbetweenoxygenconcentrationlevelsinpercentvolume.3.2.10k—afactortobedeterminedfromTable2.3.2.11n—numberofmeasurementsofoxygenconcentra-tion.4.SummaryofTestMethod4.1Asmalltestspecimenissupportedverticallyinamixtureofoxygenandnitrogenflowingupwardsthroughatransparentchimney.Theupperendofthespecimenisignitedandthesubsequentburningbehaviorofthespecimenisobservedtocomparetheperiodforwhichburningcontinues,orthelengthofspecimenburnt,withspecifi