ASTM D6394-21a

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Designation: D6394 − 21 D6394 − 21a
Standard Classification System for and Basis for Specification
for
Sulfone Plastics (SP)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6394; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope*
1.1 This classification system covers sulfone plastics suitable for injection molding and extrusion. Sulfone polymers, being
thermoplastic, are reprocessable and recyclable. This classification system allows for the use of reprocessed or recycled sulfone
polymer materials.
1.2 The properties included in this standard are those required to identify the compositions covered. Other requirements necessary
to identify particular characteristics important to specialized applications are to be specified by using the suffixes in Section 5. See
Guide D5740.
1.3 This classification system and subsequent line callout (specification) are intended to provide a means of calling out sulfone
plastics used in the fabrication of end items or parts. It is not intended for the selection of materials. Material selection can be made
by those having expertise in the plastics field only after careful consideration of the design and the performance required of the
part, the environment to which it will be exposed, the fabrication process to be employed, the costs involved, and the inherent
properties of the material other than those covered by this standard.
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 11, of this classification system: This
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
NOTE 1—Reference Guide D7209 for information and definitions related to recycled plastics.
NOTE 2—ISO 24025 is similar in subject matter but not equivalent to this standard.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D256 Test Methods for Determining the Izod Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastics
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
This classification system is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.15 on Thermoplastic
Materials.
Current edition approved Jan. 15, 2021May 1, 2021. Published January 2021May 2021. Originally approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 20202021 as
D6394 - 20.D6394 - 21. DOI: 10.1520/D6394-21.10.1520/D6394-21A.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D6394 − 21a
D638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
D648 Test Method for Deflection Temperature of Plastics Under Flexural Load in the Edgewise Position
D790 Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials
D792 Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
D1238 Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
D1600 Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to Plastics
D3641 Practice for Injection Molding Test Specimens of Thermoplastic Molding and Extrusion Materials
D3801 Test Method for Measuring the Comparative Burning Characteristics of Solid Plastics in a Vertical Position
D3892 Practice for Packaging/Packing of Plastics
D4000 Classification System for Specifying Plastic Materials
D5630 Test Method for Ash Content in Plastics
D5740 Guide for Writing Material Standards in the Classification Format
D6869 Test Method for Coulometric and Volumetric Determination of Moisture in Plastics Using the Karl Fischer Reaction (the
Reaction of Iodine with Water)
D7209 Guide for Waste Reduction, Resource Recovery, and Use of Recycled Polymeric Materials and Products (Withdrawn
2015)
E29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications
2.2 Underwriters’ Laboratories Standards:
UL94 Standard for Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials
2.3 ISO Standards:
ISO 24025-1 Sulfone Polymer moulding and Extrusion Materials—Part 1: Designation System and Basis for Specification
ISO 24025-2 Sulfone Polymer Moulding and Extrusion Materials—Part 2: Preparation of Test Specimens and Determination of
Properties
3. Terminology
3.1 Except for terms defined below, the terminology used in this classification system is in accordance with Terminologies D883
and D1600.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 sulfone plastics, n—plastics based on any of various aromatic polymers which contain diphenyl sulfone in the backbone of
the repeating unit of the molecule.
3.2.1.1 Discussion—
All of the sulfone plastics (SP) that are under this standard contain ether oxygen which is a necessary component of the polymers
as in the diphenyl sulfone moiety. Examples of moieties which can be part of the backbone of the repeating unit, in addition to
diphenyl sulfone, are diphenyl isopropylidene, and biphenyl. Blends of these polymers can exist as well as co- and ter-polymers.
Commercial polymers that are members of this class of thermoplastics include polysulfone (PSU), polyethersulfone (PESU), and
polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) (see Fig. 1).
FIG. 1 Repeat Unit Structure
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on www.astm.org.
Available from Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL), 333 Pfingsten Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062-2096, http://www.ul.com.
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
D6394 − 21a
4. Classification
4.1 Unreinforced sulfone plastics, either with or without colorants, are classified into groups in accordance with their composition.
These groups are subdivided into classes and grades as shown in Table SP.
NOTE 3—An example of this classification system is given below. The specification SP0213 indicates the following:
SP = sulfone plastics as defined in Section 3,
02 (Group) = polyethersulfone, as defined in Terminology D1600,
1 (Class) = high temperature, and
3 (Grade) = requirements given in Table SP.
4.1.1 To facilitate incorporation of future or special materials the “Other” category for group (00), class (0), and grade (0) is shown
in Table SP. The basic properties of these materials can be obtained from Table A as they apply.
4.2 Reinforced, filled, and lubricated versions of sulfone plastics are classified in accordance with Tables SP and A. Table SP is
used to classify the group of sulfone plastics and Table A is used to classify the property requirements after the addition of
reinforcements, colorants, fillers, or lubricants at the nominal level indicated (see 4.2.1).
4.2.1 Reinforcements and Additive Materials—A symbol (single-letter) is used for the major reinforcement or combination, or
both, along with two numbers which indicate the percentage of addition by mass with the tolerances tabulated as follows:
Symbol Material Tolerance
C Carbon and graphite fiber reinforced ±3 %
G Glass fiber reinforced ±3 %
L Lubricants Depends upon the material
and process—to be
specified
M Mineral reinforced ±3 %
R Combination of reinforcements ±3 %
or fillers, or both
NOTE 4—This part of the classification system uses the percent of reinforcements or additives, or both, in the callout of the modified basic material. The
types and percentages of reinforcements and additives should be shown on the supplier’s technical data sheet unless they are proprietary in nature. If
necessary, additional callout of these reinforcement and additives can be accomplished by use of the suffix part of the system (see Section 5).
4.2.2 Specific requirements for reinforcement, filled, or lubricated sulfone plastics shall be shown by a six-character designation.
The designation will consist of the letter “A” and the five digits comprising the cell numbers for property requirements in the order
as they appear in Table A.
4.2.2.1 Although the values listed are necessary to include the range of properties available in existing materials, this does not
imply that every possible combination of the properties exists or can be obtained.
4.2.3 When the grade of the basic material is not known, or is not important, the “0” grade shall be used for the reinforced
materials in this system.
NOTE 5—An example of this classification system for a reinforced sulfone plastics material is given as follows. The specification SP0210G30A43460
would have the following material requirements:
SP0210 = poly(ether sulfone) from Table SP,
G30 = glass reinforced at the 30 % nominal level,
A = Table A property requirements,
4 = tensile strength, 95 MPa min,
3 = flexural modulus, 4.5 GPa min,
4 = Notched Izod impact, 50 J/m min,
6 = deflection temperature, 200°C min, and
0 = unspecified.
If no properties are specified, the specification would be SP0213G30A00000.
D6394 − 21a
5. Suffixes
5.1 When additional requirements are needed for the materials covered in this classification system that are not covered in Tables
SP or A, then those requirements shall be designated through the use of suffixes.
5.1.1 A list of suitable suffixes are found in Table 3 of Classification System D4000.
5.2 Flammability callouts were changed in 2007. Therefore, callouts written before 2007 are different from those written in 2007
and later.
5.2.1 If the requirements for the polyethersulfone material in 4.2.3 also included flammability requirements, the following example
indicates the callout based on D4000 - 04:
SP0210G30A43460FL310
SP0210G30A43460 = same as in 4.2.3.
From Table 3 in Classification System D4000 - 04 the following is ob-
tained:
F = flammability requirements,
L = UL94 recognition required,
3 = 0.8 mm minimum thickness,
1 = vertical burn test, and
0 = V-0 rating.
5.2.2 The following example illustrates the callout based on D4000 - 07:
SP0210G30A43460FF003
SP0210G30A43460 = same as in 4.2.3.
From Table 3 in Classification System D4000 - 07 the following is ob-
tained:
F = flammability requirements,
F= Vertical burn rate by D3801 or UL94V,
0 = Rating of designation V-0,
03 = 0.8 mm minimum specimen thickness.
6. General Requirements
6.1 Basic requirements from the property table (Table SP) or cell table (Table A) are always in effect unless superseded by specific
suffix requirements, which always take precedence. Properties in Table A supersede properties in Table SP.
6.2 The plastics composition shall be uniform and shall conform to the requirements specified herein.
7. Detail Requirements
7.1 The materials shall conform to the respective requirements of Tables SP, A, and the suffix as they apply.
7.2 For purposes of determining conformance, all specified limits for a specification (line callout) based on this classification
system are absolute limits, as defined in Practice E29.
7.2.1 With the absolute method, an observed value or a calculated value is not rounded, but is to be compared directly with the
limiting value. Conformance or nonconformance is based on this comparison.
8. Sampling
8.1 Sampling shall be statistically adequate to satisfy the requirements of 12.4.
8.2 A batch or lot shall be defined as a unit of manufacture as prepared for shipment and is permitted to consist of a blend of two
or more production runs.
D6394 − 21a
9. Specimen Preparation
9.1 The test specimens shall be prepared by injection molding process in accordance with Practice D3641. Recommended
processing conditions are shown in Table 1.
9.2 Before molding, the material shall be dried to a moisture level of no more than 0.05 % as determined by test methods described
in Test Method D6869.
10. Conditioning
10.1 Test specimens shall be conditioned in the standard laboratory atmosphere in accordance with Procedure A of Practice D618
for a minimum of 4 h before performing the required tests.
10.2 Conduct those tests influenced by ambient conditions in the standard laboratory atmosphere of 23 6 2°C and 50 6 10 %
relative humidity.
11. Test Methods
11.1 Determine the properties enumerated in this classification system by means of Test Methods D256, D638, D648, D790, D792,
D1238, and D5630.
11.1.1 The number of tests shall be consistent with the requirements of Section 8 and 12.4.
11.1.2 All test specimens shall be 3.2 by 12.7 mm, unless otherwise specified.
11.1.3 Moisture content of pellet samples used for Flow Rate (MFR) shall not exceed 0.03 %; if bubbles are observed in the
extrudate during the MFR test, it shall be necessary to further dry samples to the point where the issue is alleviated, for correct
measurement of MFR.
11.1.4 Flow Rate—In accordance with Test Method D1238, using the following conditions:
11.1.4.1 PSU—343°C and 2.16 Kg load,
11.1.4.2 PESU—380°C and 2.16 Kg load, or 360°C and 10 Kg load,
11.1.4.3 PPSU—365°C and 5.00 Kg load, and
11.1.4.4 PPSU/PSU Blends—380°C and 2.16 Kg load
11.1.5 Deflection Temperature (Test Method D648)—Test specimens shall be annealed for 1 h in an air circulating oven at the
following temperatures:
11.1.5.1 PSU at 170°C, and
11.1.5.2 PESU, PPSU, and PPSU/PSU blends at 200°C.
11.1.6 Notched Izod Impact (Test Method D256, Method A)—Test the center portion (64 mm) of the 125-mm long specimen, which
is 3.2 mm wide by 12.7 mm deep.
12. Inspection and Certification
12.1 Inspection and certification of the material supplied with reference to a specification based on this classification system shall
be for conformance to the requirements specified herein.
12.2 Lot acceptance inspection shall be the basis on which acceptance or rejection of the lot is made. The lot acceptance inspection
shall consist of the following:
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Unfilled Reinforced Unfilled Reinforced
Polymer Polymer Blend Blend
Flow Rate, g/10 min (Test Yes No Yes No
Method D1238)
Ash, % (Test Method No Yes No Yes
D5630)
NOTE 6—The term blend implies a blend of two or more SPs.
NOTE 7—See Table SP, footnote B for reference to Flow Rate specifications and precision and bias reference.
12.3 Periodic check inspection with reference to a specification based upon this classification system shall consist of the tests for
all requirements of the material under the specification. Inspection fre
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