ASTM_D_7309_-_13.pdf

Designation:D730913Standard Test Method forDetermining Flammability Characteristics of Plastics andOther Solid Materials Using Microscale CombustionCalorimetry1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7309;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method,which is similar to thermal analysistechniques,establishes a procedure for determining flamma-bility characteristics of combustible materials such as plastics.1.2 The test is conducted in a laboratory environment usingcontrolled heating of milligram specimens and complete ther-mal oxidation of the specimen gases.1.3 Specimens of known mass are thermally decomposed inan oxygen-free(anaerobic)or oxidizing(aerobic)environmentat a constant heating rate between 0.2 and 2 K/s.1.4 The heat released by the specimen is determined fromthe mass of oxygen consumed to completely oxidize(combust)the specimen gases.1.5 The rate of heat released by combustion of the specimengases produced during controlled thermal or thermoxidativedecomposition of the specimen is computed from the rate ofoxygen consumption.1.6 The specimen temperatures over which combustion heatis released are measured.1.7 The mass of specimen remaining after the test ismeasured and used to compute the residual mass fraction.1.8 The specimen shall be a material or composite materialin any form(fiber,film,powder,pellet,droplet).This testmethod has been developed to facilitate material developmentand research.1.9 This standard is used to measure and describe theresponse of materials,products,or assemblies to heat andflame under controlled conditions,but does not by itselfincorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire riskassessment of the materials,products,or assemblies underactual fire conditions.1.10 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.NOTE1There is no known ISO equivalent to this test method.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D883 Terminology Relating to PlasticsD5865 Test Method for Gross Calorific Value of Coal andCokeE176 Terminology of Fire StandardsE177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias inASTM Test MethodsE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test MethodE967 Test Method for Temperature Calibration of Differen-tial Scanning Calorimeters and Differential Thermal Ana-lyzersE1591 Guide for Obtaining Data for Fire Growth Models3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 For definitions of terms relating to plastics,refer toTerminology D883.3.1.2 For definitions of terms relating to fire,refer toTerminology E176.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 combustion residue,nthe non-volatile chemical spe-cies remaining after controlled thermal oxidative decomposi-tion of a specimen.3.2.2 combustion temperature,nthe specimen tempera-ture at which the specific combustion rate is a maximum duringcontrolled thermal oxidative decomposition.3.2.3 controlled heating,na controlled temperature pro-gram used to effect thermal decomposition or oxidative thermal1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plasticsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.30 on Thermal Properties.Current edition approved Nov.1,2013.Published November 2013.Originallyapproved in 2007.Last previous edition approved in 2011 as D7309 11.DOI:10.1520/D7309-13.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 decomposition in which the temperature of the specimen isuniform throughout and increases with time at a constant rate.3.2.4 controlledthermal(orthermaloxidative)decomposition,nthermal(oxidative)decomposition undercontrolled heating.3.2.5 heat release capacity,nthe maximum specific heatrelease rate during a controlled thermal decomposition dividedby the heating rate in the test.3.2.6 heating rate,nthe constant rate of temperature riseof the specimen during the controlled temperature program.3.2.7 heat release temperature,nthe specimen tempera-ture at which the specific heat release rate is a maximum duringcontrolled thermal decomposition.3.2.8 maximum specific combustion rate,nthe maximumvalue of the specific combustion rate recorded during the test.3.2.9 maximum specific heat release rate,nthe maximumvalue of the spe