Overview
ISO 2812-1:2017 - Paints and varnishes - Determination of resistance to liquids - Part 1: Immersion in liquids other than water - defines laboratory methods for assessing how individual or multi-layer coating systems resist exposure to liquids (other than water) and paste-like products. The standard specifies immersion test procedures, specimen preparation, conditioning, evaluation criteria and reporting requirements to enable reproducible assessment of coating performance and possible substrate damage.
Key topics and requirements
- Test principle: Immersion of coated test panels or rods in a selected test liquid and assessment of visual and substrate effects.
- Specimens: Panels (≈150 mm × 100 mm, 0.7–1.0 mm thick) or steel rods (typical 150 mm × 15 mm) with specified coating and dry film thickness measurement (ISO 2808 methods).
- Conditioning: Pre-test conditioning at (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % RH for ≥16 h (per ISO 3270).
- Test methods:
- Method A - Single-phase liquid: Half-immersion or agreed immersion depth; tests performed in duplicate; vessel coverage and optional stirring/heating (up to 40 °C ±3 °C).
- Method B - Two-phase liquid: Layered liquids of different densities applied to cover distinct portions of the specimen; tests in duplicate; special handling for intermediate evaluations.
- Apparatus: Inert vessels, heating cabinets with ventilation, and safe handling precautions for flammable/volatile liquids.
- Evaluation: Clean residues, assess blistering (ISO 4628-2) and other visible changes (ISO 4628-1); allow 24 h dry equilibration before reassessment; additional tests (e.g., cross-cut, hardness) or substrate inspection may be specified.
- Reporting: Identification of coating, detailed substrate and application data, test conditions, test liquids used, specimen geometry, results and any repeat determinations. Note: precision (repeatability/reproducibility limits) is not provided in the document.
Applications and users
ISO 2812-1:2017 is used by:
- Paint and varnish manufacturers and formulators for product development and chemical resistance screening.
- Independent testing and quality control laboratories performing certification and batch testing.
- Asset owners and specifiers assessing suitability of coatings against fuels, solvents, oils, lubricants and paste-like industrial chemicals.
- Failure analysis teams investigating coating degradation or substrate attack following chemical exposure.
Practical uses include material selection, performance verification, quality assurance, compliance testing and comparative ranking of coating systems under realistic immersion conditions.
Related standards
Normative references in ISO 2812-1:2017 include: ISO 1513, ISO 1514, ISO 2808, ISO 3270, ISO 3696, ISO 4618, ISO 4628‑1, ISO 4628‑2, ISO 15528 - useful for specimen prep, film thickness, conditioning, terminology and evaluation methods.