ISO 17698:2016

Overview - ISO 17698:2016 (Footwear - Delamination resistance)

ISO 17698:2016 specifies a standardized test method for determining the delamination resistance of footwear uppers, especially those made from coated materials. The procedure measures the force required to peel a coating from its base material (expressed in N/mm) to assess suitability for end use and quality control of uppers used in footwear manufacture.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope: Applies to uppers irrespective of substrate material; evaluates dry, wet (water immersion), and hydrolysed specimens.
• Test principle: Bond the coated surface to resin rubber using a solvent-borne polyurethane adhesive and measure the peeling force on a tensile testing machine as the jaws separate.
• Specimen preparation:
  • Typical specimen dimensions: 50 × 70 mm pieces, cut to give peel specimens ~30 × 50 mm. Minimum alternatives when space-limited: 40 × 50 mm.
  • Paper tab used for clamping; resin rubber (≈3.5 mm thick, ~95 IRHD) bonded to the coated surface.
• Apparatus & conditions:
  • Tensile testing machine jaw speed: (100 ± 10) mm/min; force range suitable to specimen; accuracy per ISO 7500‑1.
  • Rapid platen press: (550 ± 50) kPa for (15 ± 1) s on a rubber pad.
  • Radiant heater to reactivate adhesive (80–90 °C within 15 s) and means to check temperature (heat‑sensitive crayons or IR gun).
  • Conditioning and atmosphere per ISO 18454; water for wet tests per ISO 3696; hydrolysis per ISO 20870.
• Measured results:
  • Initial maximum peel strength (N/mm) and average peel strength (N/mm).
  • Report arithmetic means per peel direction and note failure mode (adhesive failure, fabric failure, coating separation, etc.).
• Test report: Must include specimen pre‑treatments, peel direction, mean values, material description, date, deviations and reference to the standard.

Practical applications - who uses it and why

• Footwear manufacturers: validate upper material bonding performance and select suitable coated materials for different shoe styles.
• Quality control & test laboratories: routine acceptance testing, supplier verification and batch release based on objective peel strength metrics.
• R&D and material suppliers: evaluate new coatings, adhesives and surface treatments (primers) to improve delamination resistance.
• Regulatory bodies and procurement: reference method for performance claims and specification compliance.

Related standards

• ISO 3696 - Water for analytical laboratory use
• ISO 7500‑1 - Verification of tensile testing machines
• ISO 17709 - Sampling location and conditioning for footwear
• ISO 18454 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning/testing
• ISO 20870 - Ageing / hydrolysis conditioning

Keywords: ISO 17698:2016, delamination resistance, footwear uppers, test method, peel strength, coated material, tensile testing machine, bonded assembly.