ABSTRACT

Public acceptance of polymers is usually associated with an assurance of quality based on a knowledge of successful long-term and reliable tests. In contrast, much of the dissatisfaction with synthetic polymers is related to failures that might have been prevented by proper testing, design, and quality control. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), through its committees D-1 on paint and D-20 on plastics, has developed many standard tests, which may be referred to by all producers and consumers of polymeric materials. There are also cooperating groups in many other technical societies: the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Standards Organization (ISO), and standards societies such as the British Standards Institution (BSI) in England, Deutsche Normenausschuss (DNA) in Germany, and comparable groups in every nation with developed polymer technology throughout the entire world.