ASTM_D_5538_-_13.pdf

Designation:D553813Standard Practice forThermoplastic ElastomersTerminology and Abbreviations1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5538;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.INTRODUCTIONDuring the past two decades the use of special rubber-like polymers,designated as thermoplasticelastomers,has increased both in volume and in commercial importance.The number of uniquepolymers classified as thermoplastic elastomers that have been brought to commercial acceptance hasalso grown.(As explained below,these types of rubber-like polymers cannot be accommodated by thesystematic nomenclature approach of the existing Practice D1418.)Practice D1418 was initially published in 1956 with a systematic nomenclature procedure based onthe chemical structure of the polymer.An attempt to incorporate the new thermoplastic elastomers intothe nomenclature scheme of Practice D1418 produces two serious problems:(1)the abbreviations andacronyms are not the same as the well established abbreviations and acronyms used for the newthermoplastic elastomers by the various producers of these polymers,and(2)the attempt generates avery cumbersome terminology system.Therefore it is necessary to depart from the systematicapproach of Practice D1418.To avoid the confusion of attempting to revise Practice D1418 and have conflicting nomenclatureand abbreviation designation procedures in the same practice,this new practice devoted exclusivelyto thermoplastic elastomers is being published.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers a uniform,consensus nomenclatureapproach for thermoplastic elastomers.This compilation isintended to accommodate and supplement any existing tradenames and trademarks.1.2 No attempt is made to develop an exclusively systematicprocess for nomenclature and abbreviations.1.3 In technical papers and other technical or trade literaturethe full name of the thermoplastic elastomer should be given atits first appearance in the document along with its abbreviationin parentheses.In all subsequent references to the thermoplas-tic elastomer,the abbreviation may be given.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1418 PracticeforRubberandRubberLaticesNomenclatureD1566 Terminology Relating to Rubber2.2 ISO Standards:3ISO 1382 RubberVocabularyISO 18064 Thermoplastic ElastomersNomenclature andAbbreviated Terms2.3 Other standards not specifically referenced in this docu-ment are important for a full appreciation of the use ofthermoplastic elastomer abbreviations and terminology.Theyare listed in an appendix to this practice.PART ATERMINOLOGY3.Terminology Definitions3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 TPE(thermoplastic elastomer)the acronym orabbreviation,TPE,occupies a special place as a genericabbreviation term for all of the thermoplastic elastomerscurrently in use.3.1.1.1 DiscussionAlthough the definitions given in 3.1.2,3.1.3 and 3.1.4 also appear in Terminology D1566,they arealso given here for completeness of information in thispractice.1This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D11 on Rubber andis the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D11.08 on Terminology.Current edition approved May 1,2013.Published August 2013.Originallyapproved in 1994.Last previous edition approved in 2007 as D5538 07.DOI:10.1520/D5538-13.2For 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.3Available from International Organization for Standardization(ISO),1 rue deVaremb,Case postale 56,CH-1211,Geneva 20,Switzerland,http:/www.iso.ch.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.1.2 thermoplastic elastomer(TPE)a diverse family ofrubber-like materials that,unlike conventional rubbers,can beprocessed and recycled like thermoplastic materials.(See ISO1382 and ISO 18064.)3.1.2.1 DiscussionThe great majority of commercialTPEs are block copolymers.3.1.3 thermoplastic vulcanizate(TPV)a thermoplasticelastomer with a chemically crosslinked rubbery phase,pro-duced by dynamic vulcanization.(See ISO 1382 and ISO18064.)3.1.4 dynamic vulcanizationthe process of intimate meltmixing a thermoplastic polymer with a suitable reactiverubbery polymer to generate a thermoplastic elastomer withchemically crosslinked rubbery phase,resulting in propertiescloser to those of a thermoset rubber when compared to thesame uncrosslinked composition.(See ISO 1382 and ISO18064.)3.2 Other Term:3.2.1 alloya unique composition of two or more polymersthat has one or more of the polymers treated or processed in aspecial way to confer enhanced performance characteristics onthe resulting material.PAR