Micom Laboratories is pleased to announce that it now offers the ASTM C1442 test as part of its UV testing services. This method describes an accelerated weathering test which allows to assess the effects of actinic radiation, heat and humidity on sealants. Filtered Xenon arc lamps, UV fluorescent lamps and open flame carbon arc are all suitable exposure sources for this standard. Those illuminating sources are respectively based on the guidelines of ASTM G155, ASTM G154 and ASTM G152 methods.ASTM C1442 testThe purpose of the ASTM C1442 method is to detail test conditions of an accelerated weathering test that is able to assess the effects of actinic radiation, high temperature and moisture on sealants. Indeed, it is through the adjustment of the apparatus’s parameters that it is possible to create an environment that possesses those attributes.
Moreover, depending on the properties that are being appraised, the sample may be tested as a free film or it may have to be applied to a variety of substrates. One point of concern about this method is that it can be employed with multiples illuminating sources. As a matter of fact, this standard may be used with Xenon arc lamps, UV fluorescent lamps and open flame Carbon arc and this may lead to disparate results. Thus, comparisons between apparatus with different illuminating sources are to be proscribed, because discrepancies that are due to the differences in their spectral power distribution may occur. This conduces to another point of concern which is how well the test conditions will reflect the property changes that are caused by its end-use conditions.
The use of Xenon arc lamps as an illuminating source is a way to address this issue, because it is the best representation of the full solar spectrum among these sources. To learn more about this matter, please consult our latest UV Testing Guide eBook.Micom offers polymer testing services for a wide selection of material and products. For more information about the ASTM C1442, we invite you to contact our material testing laboratory today. It will be our pleasure to answer your questions about either of those tests. Micom Laboratories is a third party industrial material testing laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, CGSB, ISTA and many other organizations.
Original Source: https://www.micomlab.com/blog/general/astm-c1442-test-now-offered-at-micom-laboratories/