ISO 11358 provides a standardized approach to perform thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) on polymers. TGA is widely used to characterize polymers’ thermal properties and behavior, making it essential for research, polymer’s thermal stability, decomposition kinetics, compositional analysis, quality control, and understanding the performance of polymer materials. Thermogravimetry of polymers is crucial in various applications, including material selection, processing optimization, and assessing the polymer’s suitability for specific end-use environments.
ISO 11358 Test Method
The ISO 11358 test method involves heating a polymer sample at a controlled rate and continuously monitoring its weight change as a function of temperature. The test is conducted in the following steps:
| Test setup | The polymer specimen is placed in the TGA equipment, and the analysis chamber is purged with an inert gas to eliminate any atmospheric effects. The TGA equipment gradually increases the temperature at a controlled rate, and the specimen’s weight change is continuously recorded. As the temperature rises, the polymer undergoes thermal decomposition, resulting in weight loss. |
| Recording | The thermal decomposition data is analyzed to record the weight loss or gain, providing valuable data on the polymer’s degradation, thermal stability, and compositional analysis. |
ISO 11358 Specimens
| Specimen details | ISO 11358 specimens are representative of the polymer being analyzed. |
| Specimen dimensions | ISO 11358 does not specify a standard specimen size, as it varies based on the type of polymer and the TGA equipment used. |
| Specimen preparation | Before testing, the polymer specimen is carefully prepared to ensure uniformity and eliminate any external contaminants. |
