ASTM--D2863--2006

Designation:D2863–06a

StandardTestMethodfor

MeasuringtheMinimumOxygenConcentrationtoSupport

Candle-LikeCombustionofPlastics(OxygenIndex)1

ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD2863;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.

1.Scope*

1.1Thisfire-test-responsestandarddescribesaprocedure

formeasuringtheminimumconcentrationofoxygen,ex-

pressedaspercentvolume,thatwilljustsupportflaming

combustioninaflowingmixtureofoxygenandnitrogen.

1.2Thistestmethodprovidesthreetestingprocedures.

ProcedureAinvolvestopsurfaceignition,ProcedureBin-

volvespropagatingignition,andProcedureCisashort

procedureinvolvingthecomparisonwithaspecifiedminimum

valueoftheoxygenindex.

1.3Testspecimensusedforthistestmethodareprepared

intooneofsixtypesofspecimens(seeTable1).

1.4Thistestmethodprovidesfortestingmaterialsthatare

structurallyself-supportingintheformofverticalbarsorsheet

upto10.5-mmthick.Suchmaterialsaresolid,laminatedor

cellularmaterialscharacterizedbyanapparentdensitygreater

than15kg/m3.

1.5Thistestmethodalsoprovidesfortestingflexiblesheet

orfilmmaterials,whilesupportedvertically.

1.6Thistestmethodisalsosuitable,insomecases,for

cellularmaterialshavinganapparentdensityoflessthan15

kg/m3.

NOTE1—Althoughthistestmethodhasbeenfoundapplicablefortestingsomeothermaterials,theprecisionofthetestmethodhasnotbeendeterminedforthesematerials,orforspecimengeometriesandtestconditionsoutsidethoserecommendedherein.

1.7Thistestmethodmeasuresanddescribestheresponseof

materials,products,orassembliestoheatandflameunder

controlledconditions,butdoesnotbyitselfincorporateall

factorsrequiredforfirehazardorfireriskassessmentofthe

materials,products,orassembliesunderactualfireconditions.

1.8Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthe

safetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itisthe

responsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-

priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-

bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.Specifichazards

statementaregiveninSection10.NOTE2—ThistestmethodandISO4589-2aretechnicallyequivalentwhenusingthegasmeasurementandcontroldevicedescribedin6.3.1,withdirectoxygenconcentrationmeasurement.

2.ReferencedDocuments

2.1ASTMStandards:2

D618PracticeforConditioningPlasticsforTesting

D1071TestMethodsforVolumetricMeasurementofGas-

eousFuelSamples

D1622TestMethodforApparentDensityofRigidCellular

Plastics

D4802SpecificationforPoly(MethylMethacrylate)

AcrylicPlasticSheet

E176TerminologyofFireStandards

E691PracticeforConductinganInterlaboratoryStudyto

DeterminethePrecisionofaTestMethod

2.2ISOStandards:3

ISO4589-2Plastics—DeterminationofFlammabilityby

OxygenIndex—Part2,AmbientTemperatures

ISO7823-1Poly(Methylmethacrylate)Sheets—Types,Di-

mensionsandCharacteristics—Part1—CastSheets

ISO13943FireSafety—Vocabulary

3.Terminology

3.1Definitions

3.1.1Fordefinitionsoftermsusedinthistestmethodrefer

totheterminologycontainedinTerminologyE176and

ISO13943.Incaseofconflict,thedefinitionsgiveninTermi-

nologyE176shallprevail.

3.2Definitions:DefinitionsSpecifictoThisStandard:

3.2.1ignition—theinitiationofcombustion.

3.2.2oxygenindex(OI)—theminimumconcentrationof

oxygendeterminedbythemethodin12.1,expressedasvolume

percent,inamixtureofoxygenandnitrogenthatwilljust

supportflamingcombustionofamaterialinitiallyat2362°C

undertheconditionsofthistestmethod.

3.3SymbolsSpecificToThisTestMethod:

1ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlasticsandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD20.30onThermalProperties(SectionD20.30).CurrenteditionapprovedMarch15,2006.PublishedMarch2006.Originallyapprovedin1970.Lastpreviouseditionapprovedin2006asD2863-

06.2ForreferencedASTMstandards,visittheASTMwebsite,www.astm.org,orcontactASTMCustomerServiceatservice@astm.org.ForAnnualBookofASTMStandardsvolumeinformation,refertothestandard’sDocumentSummarypageontheASTMwebsite.3AvailablefromAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI),25W.43rdSt.,4thFloor,NewYork,NY10036.

1*ASummaryofChangessectionappearsattheendofthisstandard.

Copyright©ASTMInternational,100BarrHarborDrive,POBoxC700,WestConshohocken,PA19428-2959,UnitedStates.3.3.1Co—oxygenconcentrationinpercentvolume.

3.3.2CF—finalvalueofoxygenconcentrationinpercent

volume.

3.3.3Ci—eachoftheoxygenconcentrationpercentages

usedduringmeasurementofthelastsixresponsesintheNTseries.

3.3.4O—neithertheperiodorextentofburningexceedsthe

relevantlimitspecifiedinTable2.

3.3.5X—theperiodorextentofburningexceedstherel-

evantlimitspecifiedinTable2.

3.3.6NL—seriesof“X”or“O”results.

3.3.7NT—seriesof“X”or“O”resultsplusfive(NT=NL+5).

3.3.8s*—standarddeviationoftheoxygenconcentration.