What is ISO 3384-2 – Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic about?
ISO 3384-2 specifies two methods for determining the decrease in counterforce exerted by a test piece of vulcanized or thermoplastic rubber which has been compressed to a constant deformation and then undergoes temperature cycling.
- Method A: The temperature is cycled at intervals between a high temperature for ageing and a low temperature for checking the sealing force at this low temperature.
- Method B: The temperature is cycled continuously between a high temperature and a low temperature to introduce thermal stress in the test piece.
The counterforce is determined by means of a continuous-measurement system.
Two forms of test pieces are specified in ISO 3384-2: cylindrical test pieces and rings. Comparison of results is valid only when made on test pieces of similar size and shape.
The use of ring test pieces is particularly suitable for the determination of stress relaxation in liquid environments.
Who is ISO 3384-2– Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic for?
ISO 3384-2 on Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic is relevant to:
- Manufacturers of Vulcanized rubber
- Chemical engineers
- Any entity responsible for testing and quality assurance of rubber and thermoplastic
Why should you use ISO 3384-2– Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic for?
Vulcanization process involves heating rubber with sulphur, accelerator and activator at 140–160°C.
ISO 3384-2 specifies two test methods in which in method A the compression and all measurements of counterforce are made at test temperature and in method B the compression and all measurements of counterforce are made at standard laboratory temperature.
ISO 3384-2 provides two cycling test methods, which are designed to perform the following tasks:
- Age the test piece by stress relaxation and determine the sealing force at low temperatures (method A)
- Introduce thermal stress by stress relaxation and determine the sealing force at low temperatures (method B)
Overall, ISO 3384-2 is a comprehensive guide to provide methods for determining the stress relaxation in compression with temperature cycling, so users will gain a comprehensive understanding of the quality of vulcanized rubber to improve durability and strength.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 3384-2:2019 supersedes BS EN 3384-2:2012, which is withdrawn and includes:
- The requirement for compression device (5.1) has been harmonized with other International Standards
- Other changes have been made to keep the consistency with ISO 3384‑1 throughout the document
