ISO 9073-11:2002

Overview

ISO 9073-11:2002 - Textiles - Test methods for nonwovens - Part 11: Run-off - defines laboratory methods to measure the quantity of run-off (excess liquid) from nonwoven test pieces when a specified mass of simulated urine is poured onto the sample placed on an inclined plane over a standard absorbent medium. The standard is intended to compare run-off performance of nonwovens and is explicitly not a simulation of in‑use conditions for finished products.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Three alternative test methods
  • Test I: Basic method for hydrophilic nonwovens (inclination 25°).
  • Test II: Repeated test - same parameters as Test I but the same specimen is tested three times to assess consistency.
  • Test III: Modified method for hydrophobic nonwovens (different table inclination).
• Test specimen and conditioning
  • Specimen size: (140 ± 2) mm × (280 ± 2) mm, longest side in machine direction (MD).
  • Conditioning per ISO 139; sampling per ISO 186.
• Apparatus & consumables
  • Adjustable run-off table (acrylic or similar) with marked reference lines, receiver pad/support, ring stand, dosing equipment and 5 mm glass discharge tube.
  • Standard absorbent medium: two layers of reference filter paper (140 × 275 mm) with defined mass per unit area and absorptive characteristics (per ISO 9073-6 and ISO 9073-8).
  • Simulated urine: 9 g/L NaCl in grade 3 water (ISO 3696) with surface tension ~70 ± 2 mN/m at 20 °C.
• Dosing & measurement
  • Typical dosing: (25.0 ± 0.5) g delivered in (4.0 ± 0.1) s.
  • Run-off measured by mass gain of receiver pad; results reported as grams and optionally percent run-off with averages and standard deviation.
• Reporting
  • Must include reference to ISO 9073-11, material type, individual and average run-off, standard deviation, percent run-off (if requested) and deviations from procedure.

Applications and users

• Useful for textile laboratories, R&D and quality control teams involved in:
  • Nonwoven material development and surface-treatment evaluation (hydrophilic vs hydrophobic).
  • Product designers of hygiene products (diapers, medical pads, incontinence products) needing comparative nonwoven run-off data.
  • Manufacturers seeking process control metrics or comparative performance between lots and suppliers.
  • Certification and testing bodies performing standardized comparisons of liquid handling behavior.
• Note: ISO 9073-11 is for comparative laboratory testing; designers should not treat it as a direct prediction of real-world product performance.

Related standards

• ISO 9073 (other parts): Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 (Absorption), 7, 8 (Strike-through time), 9, 10, 12.
• ISO 139 (conditioning), ISO 186 (sampling), ISO 3696 (water for laboratory use).