Overview
EN ISO 12625-11:2019 - "Tissue paper and tissue products - Part 11: Determination of wet ball burst strength" specifies a standardized laboratory method to measure the resistance of tissue paper and tissue products to mechanical penetration after wetting. Commonly called the wet ball burst strength or wet ball burst test, the method quantifies how much perpendicular force a wetted sample can withstand before being penetrated by a hard ball probe.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope: Applies to tissue papers and tissue products (e.g., toilet tissue, facial tissues, kitchen towels) for assessment after wetting.
- Test principle: A circular test piece is rigidly clamped between two concentric annular rings, wetted with deionized water, and loaded perpendicularly by a hard non‑deformable ball moving at constant speed until penetration.
- Measured values:
- Wet bursting force (expressed in mN)
- Wet burst index (wet bursting force divided by grammage; mN·m²/g)
- Wet burst retention (percentage of wet to dry burst strength)
- Apparatus details:
- Concentric clamping rings with rubber coating (1.0–2.0 mm thick; 70–85 IRHD)
- Internal clamping diameter typically (50.0 ± 0.2) mm; standard also references 89 mm or 50 mm ring diameters
- Force measuring and drive systems calibrated in accordance with ISO 7500‑1
- Reagents and conditioning:
- Deionized water (conductivity ≤ 0.25 mS/m at 25 °C; per ISO 14487)
- Test temperature must match conditioning/testing atmosphere as per ISO 187
- Sampling and preparation: Sampling to determine average quality follows ISO 186; test piece preparation and conditioning requirements are specified.
Applications and users
- Quality control: Routine production monitoring in tissue manufacturing to ensure product consistency after wet exposure.
- Product development: R&D teams compare formulations, fiber blends, embossing, and treatments to improve wet strength or controlled disintegration.
- Supplier qualification: Raw material and converting suppliers provide standardized performance data to customers.
- Independent testing labs and certification bodies: Use the method to generate comparable, reproducible data for specifications and claims.
- Regulatory and procurement: Helps define performance criteria for institutional or consumer tissue products where wet integrity is relevant.
Related standards
- ISO 12625-1 - General guidance and terms for tissue papers
- ISO 12625-9 - Ball burst strength (dry) - complementary method for dry burst testing
- ISO 12625 series - Other test methods for tissue product properties
- ISO 187, ISO 186, ISO 7500‑1 - referenced for conditioning, sampling and calibration
Keywords: EN ISO 12625-11:2019, wet ball burst strength, tissue paper test, wet bursting force, wet burst index, ball burst test, tissue products.