ASTM_E_2918_-_13.pdf

Designation:E291813Standard Test Method forPerformance Validation of Thermomechanical Analyzers1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2918;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 provides procedures for validatingtemperature and length change measurements of thermome-chanical analyzers(TMA)and analytical methods based uponthe measurement of temperature and length change.Perfor-mance parameters include temperature repeatability,linearityand bias;and dimension change repeatability,detection limit,quantitation limit,linearity and bias.1.2 Validation of apparatus performance and analyticalmethods is a necessary requirement for quality initiatives.Results may also be used for legal purposes.1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.4 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.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E473 Terminology Relating to Thermal Analysis and Rhe-ologyE1142 Terminology Relating to Thermophysical PropertiesE1363 Test Method for Temperature Calibration of Thermo-mechanical AnalyzersE1970 Practice for Statistical Treatment of ThermoanalyticalDataE2113 Test Method for Length Change Calibration of Ther-momechanical AnalyzersE2161 Terminology Relating to Performance Validation inThermal Analysis3.Terminology3.1 Technical terms used in this test method are defined inTerminologies E473,E1142,and E2161,including termsanalyte,bow,Celsius,coeffcient of linear thermal expansion,detection limit,linearity,quantification limit,relative standarddeviation,repeatability,standarddeviation,thermodilatometry,thermomechanical analysis,and valida-tion.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 Temperature and time are the primary independentparameters and length change is the primary dependent experi-mental parameters provided by thermomechanical analysis.4.2 Temperature,a measured value,is validated by perform-ing a measurement of the penetration in sharply meltingmaterials at three(or more)different known melting tempera-tures.4.3 Length change,a measured value,is validated byperforming a measurement of the linear thermal expansion forthree(or more)test materials.4.4 Validation of a thermomechanical test method basedupon length change may be performed using the test specimenas the analyte.4.5 The length change of three(or more)specimens(nomi-nally representing the maximum,midpoint and minimum ofthe range of the test method)are measured in triplicate(ormore).A fourth blank specimen,containing no analyte,ismeasured in triplicate(or more).NOTE1Repeatability is determined by performing a sufficient numberof determinations to calculate valid estimates of the standard deviation orrelative standard deviation of the measurement.4.5.1 Temperature and length change measurement linearityand bias are determined from the linear regression correlationof the results from measurements of the three(or more)specimens.4.5.2 Length change detection limit and quantitation limitare determined from the standard deviation of the blankdetermination with no analyte present.4.5.3 Temperature and length change repeatability are de-termined from the repeatability measurements of three(ormore)specimens.1This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E37 on ThermalMeasurements and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E37.10 onFundamental,Statistical and Mechanical Properties.Current edition approved April 1,2013.Published May 2013.DOI:10.1520/E2918-13.2For 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 4.5.4 Length change validation is independent of the tem-perature validation.The respective validations need not in-volve consistent ranges.5.Significance and Use5.1 This test method may be used to determine and validatethe performance of a particular thermomechanical analyzerapparatus.5.2 This test method may be used to determine and validatethe performance of a particular method based upon thermome-chanical analyzer temperature or length change measurements.5.3 This test method may be used to determine the repeat-ability of a particular apparatus,operator,or laboratory.5.4 This test method may be used for specification andregulatory compliance p