ASTM D5215 Instrumental Test of Vinyl Flooring Staining by Adhesives

Scope:

The ASTM D5215 test evaluates the degree of staining caused by adhesives on vinyl flooring, using instrumental techniques. Vinyl flooring consists of a PVC or urethane wear layer laminated to a vinyl backing layer. Adhesives may contain additives such as anti-oxidants or processing oils which seep up through the backing and interact with UV light to form discolored patches on the Vinyl flooring. The ASTM D5215 test describes how the discoloration may be measured quantitatively, using the CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) color-scale system. In the test, vinyl flooring control specimens and test specimens are exposed to heat for aging and then to UVA light, to expedite discoloration. The specimens should be of light color, preferably white. For each adhesive tested, a total of six specimens are needed, of which three contain the adhesive and three are control specimens without adhesive. The ensuing color differences between exposed specimens are accurately measured by a colorimeter or spectrophotometer. The measured differences in color are expressed in CIELAB units.

Procedure:

Test specimens, as specified in Section-8 of ASTM D5215 test method, are marked for identification. They are then heat-aged at 140 ±5℉ for seven days, followed by exposure to UVA light for 48 hours. Thereafter, comparative color measurements between the test and control specimens are performed, using a colorimeter or spectrophotometer. The reflectance values measured by the instrument are converted to the CIELAB color scale by computation.

Video 01: Explanation of CIELAB

Specimen size:

The six test and control specimens for the ASTM D5215 test, should each be 3 inches by 6 inches, unless otherwise specified. An additional 3 inch by 6 inch specimen is kept wrapped in an aluminum foil for visual evaluation.

Result:

Color differences are expressed in CIELAB units.

Conclusion:

The ASTM D5215 test evaluates the degree of staining caused by adhesives on vinyl flooring, using instrumental techniques.