ISO 10066:1991

Overview

ISO 10066:1991 is a key international standard developed by ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 45, focusing on flexible cellular polymeric materials. This standard outlines a comprehensive procedure for the determination of creep in compression of soft cellular polymer materials, primarily to support quality assurance in packaging applications. It details the principles, apparatus requirements, specimen preparation, conditioning methods, and test procedures necessary to measure and report the creep behavior of these materials under static compressive stress.

Accurately measuring and controlling creep in flexible cellular polymers is crucial for ensuring product performance, especially in cushioning packaging where excessive deformation can compromise protection. ISO 10066:1991 helps manufacturers and quality professionals ensure that materials meet necessary criteria for durability and reliability.

Key Topics

• Scope and Application
  The standard focuses on flexible cellular polymeric materials subjected to static compressive loads, providing a method to quantify deformation (creep) over time. While intended mainly for packaging quality assurance, its use extends to product design decisions where material creep may affect performance.

• Test Principle
  Creep is measured as the variation in deformation of a sample under a prescribed static compressive stress, usually below 10 kPa, over time intervals (15 minutes to 72 hours). The test captures both the immediate and long-term compression behavior.

• Specimen Preparation
  Test specimens are rectangular parallelepipeds, typically 50 mm by 50 mm in length and width, with thickness between 20 mm and 30 mm. Careful cutting methods avoiding heat or mechanical damage must be employed. Specimens may include surface skin if it forms an integral part of the material.

• Conditioning and Test Environment
  Specimens are conditioned for a minimum of 16 hours under controlled temperature and humidity to ensure consistent testing conditions. Typical test conditions are 23°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 5% relative humidity for temperate climates or 27°C ± 2°C and 65% ± 5% humidity for tropical climates.

• Apparatus Requirements
  The testing device includes two smooth parallel plates (at least one with automatic alignment) capable of applying and maintaining a uniform static compressive force with minimal variation (<1%) and measuring specimen thickness changes with 0.1 mm accuracy.

• Measurement and Calculation
  Thickness measurements are taken initially, then after 15 minutes and 72 hours under compression, with a final measurement after 30 minutes of elastic recovery post-load removal. From these, percentage creep deformation and elastic recovery are calculated using standardized formulas.

• Test Report Contents
  The standard specifies detailed reporting requirements including reference to the standard, material description, conditioning and test conditions, applied stress level, calculated creep and elastic recovery percentages, individual test results, and notes on specimen preparation such as presence/location of surface skin.

Applications

ISO 10066:1991 finds practical use in:

• Packaging Industry
  Ensuring that polymeric cushioning materials do not exhibit excessive long-term creep that would reduce protection during storage and transport.

• Material Quality Control
  Verification of raw and finished material batches to maintain consistent and reliable mechanical properties.

• Product Development
  Providing critical design input for selecting materials with appropriate compressive behavior over the expected product lifecycle.

• Compliance and Standardization
  Facilitating uniform testing methods across manufacturers and suppliers, improving comparability and contractual quality assurance.

Related Standards

• ISO 1923:1981
  For determination of linear dimensions of cellular plastics and rubbers, referenced for specimen measurement techniques.

• ISO/TC 45 Series
  Additional standards related to elastomers and elastomeric products may complement ISO 10066 for a fuller assessment of polymer properties.

• Packaging and Testing Standards
  Depending on application, ISO 10066 results may be integrated with broader packaging performance standards to ensure overall package integrity.

Keywords: ISO 10066, flexible cellular polymeric materials, compression creep test, polymeric cushioning, packaging quality assurance, creep deformation, compression testing, specimen conditioning, test apparatus, polymer resilience, material quality control.