ASTM D4364-13
Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight

Standard No.

ASTM D4364-13

Release Date

2013

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM D4364-13(2022)e1

Latest

ASTM D4364-13(2022)e1

Scope

4.1 This practice involves the concentration of sunlight by a system of plane mirrors, arranged to simulate a parabolic trough focused on an air-cooled target board on which the test specimens are mounted. Exposure cycles with and without water spray that are commonly used for this method are described in Table 1. Other exposure cycles not listed in Table 1 can be used, upon consensual agreement between interested parties.

4.1.1 Accelerated outdoor exposure tests performed using this practice in an absence of a programmed moisture cycle are intended to simulate conventional exposure testing on racks facing the equator in desert and arid regions.

4.1.2 Accelerated outdoor exposure tests performed using this practice with a programmed moisture cycle shall possess the feature of spraying high purity water on the specimens in a regular, periodic fashion that is intended to simulate the results of conventional exposure testing on fixed racks facing the equator in subtropical, semi-humid, and temperate regions. Water-spray cycles that are recommended by this practice are given in Table 1.

4.2 The effectiveness of the Fresnel-reflector accelerated outdoor weathering test machines depends primarily on the amount and character of the UV in the direct-beam component of sunlight.

Note 2—Use of the apparatus in regions of moderate- to high-diffuse irradiance will reduce the test machine's effectiveness substantially for providing concentrated UV in the target (specimen) area.

4.3 Testing to specific levels (quantities) of solar ultraviolet radiant exposure is recommended. Elapsed time exposure-level determinations shall not be used for testing with this practice. Testing to specific levels of UV irradiation, whether to total UV or within selected wavebands, is an effective method for improving agreement between wintertime and summertime testing on the Fresnel-reflector weathering-test machines. Other seasonal factors such as temperature and time of wetness can affect the weathering of test specimens significantly.

4.4 The weathering machines described provide for specimen cooling that reduces thermal problems in most materials. It is recommended that monthly temperature measurements be performed on heat-sensitive plastics to record the typical monthly test specimen temperatures.

Note 3—It is possible for heat-sensitive plastic materials and thick specimens that are self-insulating to exhibit thermal-induced degradation that is unrealistic compared to natural weathering. Clear, thin-film photodegradable plastics are not recommended for testing with this practice for this reason.

4.5 Since the natural environment varies with respect to time, geography, and topography, it can be expected that the effects of natural exposure will vary accordingly. Furthermore, all materials are not affected equally by increased irradiance and temperature. ......

ASTM D4364-13 Referenced Document

• ASTM D1435 Standard Practice for Outdoor Weathering of Plastics
• ASTM D1600 Standard Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to Plastics
• ASTM D1898 
• ASTM D4141 Standard Practice for Conducting Black Box and Solar Concentrating Exposures of Coatings
• ASTM D4517 Standard Test Method for Low-Level Total Silica in High-Purity Water by Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
• ASTM D859 Standard Test Method for Silica in Water
• ASTM D883 Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics
• ASTM E772 Standard Terminology Relating to Solar Energy Conversion
• ASTM E824 Standard Test Method for Transfer of Calibration From Reference to Field Radiometers
• ASTM G113 Standard Terminology Relating to Natural and Artificial Weathering Tests of Nonmetallic Materials
• ASTM G24 Standard Practice for Conducting Exposures to Daylight Filtered Through Glass
• ASTM G7 Standard Practice for Atmospheric Environmental Exposure Testing of Nonmetallic Materials
• ASTM G90 Standard Practice for Performing Accelerated Outdoor Weathering of Nonmetallic Materials Using Concentrated Natural Sunlight

ASTM D4364-13 history

• 2022 ASTM D4364-13(2022)e1 Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight
• 2013 ASTM D4364-13 Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight
• 2005 ASTM D4364-05 Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight
• 2002 ASTM D4364-02 Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight
• 1994 ASTM D4364-94 Standard Practice for Performing Outdoor Accelerated Weathering Tests of Plastics Using Concentrated Sunlight