Overview - EN ISO 175:2010 (Plastics - Immersion in Liquid Chemicals)
EN ISO 175:2010 / ISO 175:2010 specifies standardized test methods for exposing plastic test specimens, free from external restraint, to liquid chemicals and for determining the resulting changes in properties. The standard covers complete immersion of the entire specimen surface and applies to solid plastics available as mouldings, extrusions, plates, sheets, rods or tubes with thickness > 0.1 mm. It excludes cellular materials and does not address environmental stress cracking (ESC).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & applicability: Tests apply to solid plastics (>0.1 mm) and full-surface immersion only; ESC covered by ISO 22088.
- Test liquids: Use analytical-grade or representative technical liquids; single-batch sourcing recommended for reproducibility.
- Specimen condition: Specimens must be free from external restraint, conditioned per standard atmospheres (see ISO 291), and prepared by moulding or machining (ISO 294-3, ISO 2818).
- Immersion parameters: Control of immersion time, temperature, and liquid composition is essential. Tests can be tailored to simulate service conditions.
- Measurements: Determine changes in mass, dimensions, colour/appearance, and other physical properties (mechanical, thermal, optical) before immersion, immediately after removal, and after drying where applicable.
- Absorption: Procedures for quantifying absorbed liquid and distinguishing reversible (swelling) vs irreversible changes (chemical reaction or extraction of constituents).
- Procedure & reporting: Requirements for apparatus, testing sequence, expression of results, precision, and comprehensive test reporting.
Practical applications and who uses this standard
EN ISO 175:2010 is used for:
- Material selection & specification - compare chemical resistance of candidate plastics.
- Quality control & incoming inspection - confirm batch-to-batch behavior in contact with chemicals.
- R&D and formulation - evaluate effects of solvents, fuels, lubricants or process chemicals on new polymers and additives.
- Failure analysis & lifetime assessment - investigate property changes after liquid exposure.
- Typical users: materials engineers, polymer scientists, testing laboratories, product designers in automotive, chemical processing, piping, packaging, electrical insulation and consumer goods sectors, and regulatory/compliance teams.
Related standards
EN ISO 175:2010 provides a reproducible, comparative method for assessing how plastics respond to liquid chemicals - a core tool for ensuring material performance and reliability in chemical exposure environments.