ISO 16770-2019 PDF

Full title and description

Plastics — Determination of environmental stress cracking (ESC) of polyethylene — Full‑notch creep test (FNCT). Specifies a laboratory method (FNCT) for measuring the resistance of polyethylene (PE) materials and finished PE products to environmental stress cracking by monitoring time to failure of notched specimens under static tensile load in a defined test environment.

Abstract

This international standard describes preparation of full‑notch, notched test specimens (machined from moulded plaques or taken from finished items), the test apparatus and fixtures, the prescribed loading conditions, test environments (e.g., surfactant solutions), temperature control and the measurement/reporting of time‑to‑failure. The method is intended primarily for polyethylene materials but is applicable to evaluation of PE pipes, welds/fittings and blow‑moulded containers where environmental SCC performance is required.

General information

• Status: Published
• Publication date: 2019-09
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 83.080.20 (Thermoplastic materials)
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2019)
• Number of pages: 25

Scope

Defines the full‑notch creep test (FNCT) procedure to determine environmental stress‑cracking resistance of polyethylene materials and products when exposed to aggressive environments. The standard covers specimen dimensions and notching, conditioning, test environment selection, static loading, temperature control, end‑point definition (time to failure) and reporting requirements. It is intended for material comparison, quality control and product evaluation rather than direct prediction of in‑service lifetime without further engineering correlation.

Key topics and requirements

• Preparation of full‑notch notched specimens from moulded plaques or finished products (specified dimensions and machining requirements).
• Specification of notch geometry and finish to ensure test reproducibility.
• Definition of test environments (common surfactant solutions and other aggressive liquids) and their preparation.
• Static tensile loading apparatus and fixture details, with prescribed stress levels and alignment criteria.
• Controlled test temperature and monitoring; procedures for temperature stabilization.
• End‑point definition (time to crack initiation/complete fracture) and reporting of test results, including reproducibility and outlier handling.
• Applicability notes and caution that results can be affected by processing stresses, orientation and specimen source (machined vs. moulded parts).

Typical use and users

Used by materials laboratories, polymer test houses, R&D teams, manufacturers of polyethylene pipes, fittings and containers, quality and compliance engineers, and product certification bodies to compare ESC resistance, support material selection, validate process changes, and perform QA checks on PE grades and finished items.

Related standards

Supersedes ISO 16770:2004 (withdrawn) and is commonly used alongside other ESC and slow‑crack‑growth test methods such as ASTM D1693 (environmental stress‑cracking of ethylene plastics), ASTM F1473 (notch tensile tests for slow crack growth of polyethylene pipes and resins) and ASTM D2561 (environmental stress‑crack resistance of blow‑moulded PE containers). These documents are complementary; choice depends on the product form and the specific performance concern.

Keywords

environmental stress cracking; ESC; polyethylene; PE; full‑notch creep test; FNCT; notch tensile; slow crack growth; polymer testing; thermoplastics; pipe testing

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: An ISO international standard (ISO 16770:2019) that specifies the full‑notch creep test (FNCT) method for determining environmental stress‑cracking resistance of polyethylene materials and products.

Q: What does it cover?

A: Test specimen preparation (notched/full‑notch geometry), test environment and solutions, static loading/fixtures, temperature control, measurement of time‑to‑failure, and reporting to allow material and product comparison under defined laboratory conditions.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Polymer test laboratories, manufacturers of PE pipes, fittings and containers, R&D and quality engineers, standards bodies and certification/inspection organizations involved in verifying ESC resistance.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Current as published in September 2019 (Edition 2). It replaced ISO 16770:2004 (the 2004 edition was withdrawn and superseded by the 2019 edition).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of ISO/TC 61 work on plastics testing (thermoplastic materials) and relates to other test methods addressing environmental stress cracking and slow crack growth; it is not itself a multi‑part numbered series but sits alongside other ISO and ASTM test methods for polymer ESC assessment.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: ESC, environmental stress cracking, polyethylene, FNCT, full‑notch creep test, notch, slow crack growth, polymer testing, thermoplastics.