d2w® Testing Report

d2w® Testing Report is the service for manufacturers that participate in d2w® trial. The result of the testing report will be used to judge whether the d2w® oxo-biodegradable products with 1% inclusion rate is degradable or not; whether the manufacturers have strictly followed manufacturing instruction(see Document Library) For manufacturers that able to pass the D2W® Testing will have chance to become d2w® Authorized Manufacturer.

Laboratory Tests Performed

QUV
Accelerated Weathering ASTM D5208-91 / D5510-94
Heat-Aging (ASTM D-5510-94)
Tensile Elongation
ASTM D882-02

Tensile strength: - This is the maximum load that the sample film can sustain during the test procedure until the sample breaks.
Tensile strain: - this is the amount of deformation of the sample film during the tensile test. Strain measures the change in a dimension relative to the original dimension. This can be expressed as:-
Strain = stretched length - original length
original length
Elongation at break: - If the strain is converted into a percentage by multiplying by 100, then the result is the elongation. This is expressed as- Elongation at break = 100 X increase in gauge length original gauge length
One of the most important characteristics of polyolefin flexible films is the degree of their ‘stretchability’. This provides them with their strength. If that property is eroded, then a deleterious change in overall properties is evidenced signaling a degradation of the material.

Laboratory Tests Method
QUV – Accelerated Weathering Tester
Conforms with:
ASTM D5208-91 – Standard Practice for operating fluorescent, UV, and condensation apparatus for exposure of photodegradable plastics. Heat aging testing to prove the thermal degradation alone is conducted in accordance with ASTM D5510-94
ISO 4892 – Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources – part 3: fluorescent UV lamps.
DIN 53 384 – Testing of plastics, Artificial Weathering and exposure to artificial light.

The Q-Panel weathering test equipment is the most widely used equipment for this purpose in the world. In a few days or weeks the QUV can reproduce the damage that occurs over months or years outdoors by reproducing the effects of sunlight, rain and dew. The QUV tests materials by exposing them to alternating cycles of light and moisture at controlled, elevated, temperatures. It simulates the effect of sunlight with fluorescent ultraviolet (UV) lamps while it simulates rain and dew with condensing humidity or water spray.

Samples are exposed for different time periods and at each fixed interval the physical properties of the film, and the mechanical characteristics of the polymeric material, are tested – usually against control samples.

The UVA-340 lamp gives an excellent simulation of sunlight in the critical short wavelength region from 365 nm down to the solar cut-off of 295 nm.

Irradiance is the rate at which light energy falls on a surface. Changes in light intensity (i.e. brightness) may affect the speed of material deterioration. Changes in light wavelength (i.e. spectral power distribution) may affect both speed and type of material degradation. For example, an irradiance of 0.68 W/m2 / nm@340 nm is a good match with noon, summer sunlight. The level of irradiance in the Q-Panel QUV equipment is controlled through a Solar Eye Irradiance Control which monitors the UV intensity via four sensors at the sample plane.

Photochemical reactions are not usually temperature sensitive. However, the rate of any subsequent reactions are temperature dependent. The rate of these reactions increases with increasing temperature. Consequently it is important to have control of temperature during UV exposure. Further, it is important to match the accelerated test’s temperature with the maximum experienced by the material in direct sunlight. In the QUV the temperature can be set at any point from 50°C to 80°C ( 122°F to 176°F ) depending on irradiance level and ambient room temperature. UV temperature is regulated by a forced air system controlled by the microprocessor controller giving excellent temperature uniformity.

See separate note attached on the conversion of QUV test data to real time product life span.

AMETEK Lloyd Instruments LRXPlus Series – Tensile Tester
Conforms with:
Exceeds the requirements of BS EN ISO 7500: 1999. Class 0.5 or Class1, ASTM E4, DIN 51221

This equipment is designed for material testing applications with capacities up to 5kN (1100 lbf). It features a single column with a crosshead travel range of 735mm (29 inches).
Other features:
Crosshead speed: 0.01 to 1020 mm /min
Speed accuracy: <0.2%
Load resolution <0.005% of load cell used
Extension resolution: <0.1 micron
Data sampling rate 1000hz