UV accelerated weathering test determines the material’s future durability behavior under environmental conditions. The extreme environmental conditions are generated in the UV weathering chamber to know the impact of weather on the material and degradation behavior. ASTM G154, ASTM D4329, and ASTM D4587 are standards for this test. This article will guide you in knowledge on UV accelerated weathering test.
What is UV Weathering Test?
UV weathering test simulates the effects of sunlight by combining heat and moisture. It creates the worst weathering conditions under the testing chamber to determine the material’s resistance to degradation.
Why UV Weathering Test is Important?
Why UV Weathering Test is Important?Have you ever experienced an outdoor item whose color lasts longer and does not fade with environmental conditions? How is this possible?
A UV weathering test is performed to develop products that do not degrade with time, even under the worst weathering conditions. This test guides the researchers in improving the product and ensuring its quality.
For example, suppose a plastic bottle with water inside it or a water pipeline that degrades quickly. In that case, UV exposure will penetrate the bottle and spoil the sample and the material inside it.
It is performed to improve the quality of plastics, coatings, dyes, and UV stabilizers for environmental testing such components. The quality testing equipment is a UV-accelerated weathering chamber.
UV Accelerated Weathering Tester
As the name suggests, the UV Accelerated Weathering Tester uses a UV light source and creates some environmental conditions inside a chamber. The quality analysis of a sample is performed, and it is observed what effect came on the sample after this test.
This is an ultraviolet weathering chamber. Its purpose is to perform a UV Aging Test. For example, do any of our samples, such as plastic, fabric, dyes, or UV stabilizers, deteriorate in the UV environment?
The benefit of Weathering Test Equipment
Any material, like fabric or plastic, fades over time in sunlight or outdoor environments due to environmental conditions. But we can’t wait long to know about the material’s deterioration of behavior.
That’s why weathering test equipment is used to get results quickly. We take results soon by applying some set cycles inside a chamber. This critical quality test shows the sample’s harmful side regarding sunlight or an outdoor environment.
How to Perform Accelerated UV Testing
How to Perform Accelerated UV TestingUsually, there are two types of testing models for UV testing.
- Floor Top
- Bench Top
You can test on a customer’s requirement or how you want to follow your process. Accelerated Weathering Chamber has a set of standardized panels that comply with standards like ATM G154 or ASTM G151. We can use a panel around 150/70mm and put it in the holders.
Three types of cycles are set in the accelerated weathering UV tool.
- Dry Cycle
- Condensation Cycle
- Rain Cycle
All these three cycles of exposure create an environmental effect on the sample, due to which our sample slowly starts to degrade.
Use & Difference of UV-A & UV-B
Difference of UV-A & UV-BUV-A
We can use a UV-A light source with a longer wavelength, but its damaging effect is comparatively less than that of a UV-B light source. The UV-A light source has a wavelength of 340 nanometers.
UV-B
The UV-B light source has a very high frequency, and it tends to penetrate more inside any sample due to its high frequency. So, this is the difference between UV-A and UV-B. The UV-B light source has a wavelength of 313 nanometers.
Use
We will use one light source. Three light sources are installed in the bench-top model, and eight can be installed in the floor-top model.
The tester provides an HM facility and a touch screen capable of operation while moving towards the industry. We must do things in a little automated way so that the manual process is reduced for report generation and auditing purposes.
Cycles Setting
Dry
Dry cycles are fed at a temperature of up to 90 degrees Celsius. You can set any temperature from ambient to 90 here, and if we do a standardized test, then it will be the best.
Condensation
Next, we will set the condensation cycle. For condensation, we can set either 60 degrees Celsius for 4 hours or 40 degrees Celsius for 8 hours. Then, we will save the settings.
Rain
After this, you can set the rain cycle. What will be our thing in the rain cycle? After how much time will the sample be exposed to rain? A sprinkler is provided to release water properly on the sample.
Water Connection
You will see on the back side of the machine that an inlet is provided to which you can provide a tap water connection. It will release water on the sample, and that is it.
Water is used to create a condensation environment. In this way, our condensation, humidity, and rain cycle system is created inside the room.
So, in this way, the entire testing happens and the number of cycles depends on which one you choose. UV test is performed so that you can judge in a short period of time what effects our sample will show after a long period of time if it remains in that environmental condition.
When to Use UV-A & UV-B
Longer Test (UV-A)
Whenever we have to perform lengthy testing, and if the samples are fabrics or dyes, then at that point, we can use a UV-A light source.
This will expose the sample more but have a less damaging effect because the frequency of the UV-A light source is low, and the wavelength is high.
Quick Test (UV-B)
If we want to perform tests quickly and to develop the damaging effect fast, then we can use a UV-B light source. Most people doing R&D or quality testing use a UV-B light source. They can get quick results of the samples in accelerated conditions.
Different Models of UV Weathering Chambers
Bench Top
The first model is a benchtop UV weathering chamber in which we take fewer samples. For example, 16 samples and three light sources create the same environmental conditions as an actual UV weathering environment you would find in an outdoor environment.
Floor Top
The second model is our floor-top UV weathering chamber, which can accommodate 48 samples and 30 light sources. This chamber uses more than eight light sources.
There is a radium component, which is important for us to understand. Irradiation means the exposure that UV light gives to any sample and the tendency of that exposure.
The floor-top model contains a radius display, while the bench top does not have this feature.
What Is the Difference Between UV & Xenon Testing?
UV testing
If we have to use only the damaging effect of sunlight on the sample and make the testing fast, which we call accelerated testing, then we can use UV testing for R&D or quality testing purposes.
Xenon Testing
Xenon test is performed when we have to simulate the exact sunlight simulation.
We call this the entire wavelength spectrum, in which we get UV, visible, and infrared light all in one light source. It is an actual environment simulator, but that testing is very long and costly.
The characteristic of end-generated light is that it gets heated a lot, so you have to use a daylight filter in it, which results in very late results.
It depends on the customer’s time duration and how quickly he wants to do it. Otherwise, you can use the same sample for both types of tests.
Conclusion
The UV accelerated weathering test is performed to check the material’s resistance to degradation. In an ultraviolet weathering chamber, environmental conditions are developed by setting dry, condensation, and rain cycles. ASTM G154, ASTM D4329, and ASTM D4587 are standards for this test.
UV-A and UV-B lights are used according to the customer’s requirements in UV Exposure Testing. UV-A light source has a longer wavelength, but its damaging effect is comparatively, while UV-B light source has a very high frequency and tends to penetrate more inside any sample due to its high frequency.
FAQs
What is the UV Weathering Test?
UV weathering test simulates the effects of sunlight by combining heat and moisture. It creates the worst weathering conditions under the testing chamber to determine the material’s resistance to degradation.
Why is the UV Weathering Test Important?
A UV weathering test is performed to develop products that do not degrade with time, even under the worst weathering conditions. This test guides the researchers in improving the product and ensuring its quality.
What is the purpose of a UV Accelerated Weathering Tester?
This is an ultraviolet weathering chamber. Its purpose is to perform a UV Aging Test. For example, do any of our samples, such as plastic, fabric, dyes, or UV stabilizers, deteriorate in the UV environment?
How many types of UV tester?
Usually, there are two types of testing models for UV testing.
- Floor Top
- Bench Top
What is the difference between UV-A & UV-B lights?
UV-A light source has a longer wavelength, but its damaging effect is comparatively, while UV-B light source has a very high frequency and tends to penetrate more inside any sample due to its high frequency.
When to use UV-A & UV-B?
Whenever we have to perform lengthy testing, and if the samples are fabrics or dyes, we can use a UV-A light source. If we want to perform tests quickly and develop the damaging effect quickly, we can use a UV-B light source.
What Is the Difference Between UV & Xenon Testing?
If we have to use only the damaging effect of sunlight on the sample and make the testing fast, which we call accelerated testing, then we can use UV testing. At the same time, the Xenon test is performed when we have to simulate the exact sunlight simulation.
Related Resources
An Overview and Comparison on Ultraviolet Transmittance Test Standards