ASTM E595 Total Mass loss and Collected Volatile Condensable Materials

ASTM E595 Introduction

ASTM E595 offers a systematic approach to quantify the amount of outgassing exhibited by materials when exposed to a vacuum. This method evaluates the changes in the mass of a test specimen on exposure under vacuum to a temperature of 125 °C and the mass of those products that leave the specimen and condense on a collector at a temperature of 25 °C. Outgassing refers to the release of volatile substances from a material when subjected to low pressure and high-temperature conditions, which can be critical in applications where contamination or degradation of surrounding components must be minimized.

ASTM E595 helps identify materials with low outgassing properties, ensuring the selection of suitable materials for high-vacuum environments. ASTM E595 serves as a critical benchmark for materials intended for use in vacuum environments such as satellites and spacecraft. This standard assesses two main parameters: total mass loss (TML) and collected volatile condensable materials (CVCM) when materials are subjected to high vacuum and elevated temperatures. Low outgassing is essential, as contamination can compromise sensitive instruments and systems. Consequently, passing ASTM E595 is a prerequisite for materials used in aerospace and high-reliability electronic applications, ensuring long-term functionality and reliability in demanding environments.

Get Certified ASTM E595 for Reliable Spacecraft Performance

The standards keep manufacturers, labs, and suppliers confident that they can characterize materials utilized in optical systems, thermal-control structures, electronics, adhesives, polymeric films, lubricants, composites, insulation blankets, and structural elements. The precise TML and CVCM data are useful in the engineering of contamination control, the payload qualification, and the mission assurance planning. The use of materials that have low outgassing potential by spacecraft designers minimizes the chances of optical degradation, thermal imbalance, fogging, and loss in performance during long-term missions.

ASTM E595 Testing Procedure and Requirements

Scope of ASTM E595

• Polymer, adhesives, coatings, foams, and elastomers. 
• Blankets and thermal-regulating films. 
• Composite materials and lubricants. 
• Electrical insulation, tapes, and structural laminates. 
• Spacecraft hardware must be low-contaminated. 
• The experimental process replicates the conditions of high vacuum and temperatures in space to test the release of volatiles, deposition of condensables, and formation of residue. 

ASTM E595 Equipment and Sample Preparation

Use of ASTM E595

• Assists in determining the materials to reduce fogging, surface decay, surface temperature drift, and pollution of precision tools. 
• Applied by material suppliers and research facilities in the development of new low-outgassing materials to be used in space and in high-vacuum applications.

Common Challenges and Troubleshooting in ASTM E595

The values of the CVCM can be underestimated due to a lack of cooling or blocked deposition surfaces. Troubleshooting involves integrity checking of vacuums, temperature balance checking, balance check recalibration, clean room manipulations, and re-trial to confirm data. It is important that environmental humidity and oils on the surface are avoided to preserve the accuracy of the data.

ASTM E595 Testing Technique, Process, and Data Collection

The experiment starts with preconditioning and accurate weighing of samples and collector plates. Then, the materials are subjected to vacuum and high temperatures, which causes outgassing. The volatiles that are released move to the cooled collector plate, where the condensable compounds are solidified.

Analysis, Results, and Interpretation for ASTM E595

The outcomes are presented in the form of TML percentage and CVCM percentage. The low TML means that there is a minimum loss of mass and an increased stability of materials in the vacuum. The low values of CVCM indicate a low possibility of condensable contaminants settling on sensitive surfaces. Materials of high TML or CVCM can lead to optical degradation, thermal-coating failure, or sensor contamination in a mission. 

Problem & The Solution for ASTM E595

Problem: The loss of mass is excessive, CVCM is large, and the vacuum is not stable, or the temperature of the collector and the plate is not accurate, and the measurement of the contamination becomes inaccurate.

Solution: Proper specimen conditioning, proper cleaning, clean-room handling, verification of the vacuum system, proper instrument calibration, thermal stability, and repetition of tests where required to verify the results. These procedures are very important in enhancing accuracy and reliability in low-outgassing material testing.

Factors to Consider for ASTM E595

Speed: As a test, vacuum stabilization and thermal exposure are necessary and make the procedure time-intensive, but necessary to provide outgassing information in detail.

Expert: Specialists who have knowledge about vacuum systems, contamination-control systems, and weighing with high precision are needed to provide high reliability.

Cost: Despite the need for specialised equipment, ASTM E595 testing eliminates costly contamination-related failures in spacecraft optics, sensors, and thermal systems and is thus very cost-effective when used in space mission-critical systems.