ASTM D5272-08(2013)
Standard Practice for Outdoor Exposure Testing of Photodegradable Plastics

Standard No.

ASTM D5272-08(2013)

Release Date

2008

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM D5272-08(2021)

Latest

ASTM D5272-08(2021)

Scope

4.1 When discarded as litter, articles made using photodegradable plastics are subject to attack by daylight (particularly solar-ultraviolet radiation), oxygen, heat, and water. The 5° exposure angle used in this practice represents typical conditions for degradation experienced by litter.

4.2 This practice requires characterization of the duration of exposure in terms of solar-ultraviolet radiation. Solar-ultraviolet radiation varies considerably as a function of location and time of year. This can cause dramatic differences in the time required to produce a specified level of degradation in a polymer. Daro⁴ has shown that when the same lot of polyethylene containing an iron-salt prodegradant is exposed at various times of the year in a single location, the time required to produce an average of two chain scissions per molecule varied by over 1308201;%. Daro, and Zerlaut and Anderson⁵ have shown that this variability can be significantly reduced when total solar or solar-ultraviolet radiation, or both, is used to characterize the exposure increments.

4.3 In addition to variations in level of daylight and solar-ultraviolet radiation, there are significant differences in temperature, and moisture stresses between different locations, and between different years, or periods within a single year, at a single location. Because of this variability, results from this test cannot be used to predict the absolute rate at which photodegradable plastics degrade. Results from this test can be used to compare relative rates of degradation for materials exposed at the same time in the same location. Results from multiple exposures of a common lot of material (during different seasons over several years) at different sites can be used to compare the relative rates at which a particular photodegradable plastic will degrade in each location.

Note 2—An inherent limitation in solar-radiation measurements is that they do not reflect the effects of variations in temperature and moisture exposure, which often can be as important as solar radiation. The same solar-ultraviolet radiation increment will not necessarily give the same changes in properties of the test specimen in different exposure sites. Results from this practice must be regarded as giving only a general indication of the degree of degradability and should always be considered in terms of characteristics of the exposure site as well.

4.4 Where measurement of total solar-ultraviolet radiation is not possible, exposure duration can be determined by the number of days, weeks, or months exposed. When this practice is used, a reference material whose degradation properties have been well established must be exposed at the same time as the other materials being tested. The reference material used must be agreed upon by all interested parties. The time to produce a specified level of degradation for each material in this simultaneous exposure is then compared. It is also a good practice to use reference materials when exposure length is determined by total solar or solar UV radiant exposure.

Note 3—A reference material can be a single lot of material which has shown consistent results after a number of exp......

ASTM D5272-08(2013) Referenced Document

• ASTM D1435 Standard Practice for Outdoor Weathering of Plastics
• ASTM D3593 Test Method for Molecular Weight Averages and Molecular Weight Distribution of Certain Polymers by Liquid Size-Exclusion Chromatography (Gel Permeation Chromatography GPC) Using Universal Calibration
• ASTM D3826 Standard Practice for Determining Degradation End Point in Degradable Polyethylene and Polypropylene Using a Tensile Test
• ASTM D882 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting
• ASTM D883 Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics
• ASTM E772 Standard Terminology Relating to Solar Energy Conversion
• ASTM G169 Standard Guide for Application of Basic Statistical Methods to Weathering Tests*， 2024-04-20 Update
• ASTM G183 Standard Practice for Field Use of Pyranometers, Pyrheliometers and UV Radiometers
• ASTM G7 Standard Practice for Atmospheric Environmental Exposure Testing of Nonmetallic Materials

ASTM D5272-08(2013) history

• 2021 ASTM D5272-08(2021) Standard Practice for Outdoor Exposure Testing of Photodegradable Plastics
• 2008 ASTM D5272-08(2013) Standard Practice for Outdoor Exposure Testing of Photodegradable Plastics
• 2008 ASTM D5272-08 Standard Practice for Outdoor Exposure Testing of Photodegradable Plastics
• 1992 ASTM D5272-92(1999) Standard Practice for Outdoor Exposure Testing of Photodegradable Plastics