FTM6 resistance to ultra-violet light

scope The test may also be conducted under more severe

This test method offers a means of comparing the
weathering characteristics of self-adhesive laminates.
Ultra-violet light is the high energy light which is largely
responsible for the deterioration of adhesive coated
materials during weathering.
The resistance of a pressure sensitive material to ultra-
violet light is defined as the reduction in peel adhesion
(FTM 1 or 2), shear (FTM 8), loop tack (FTM 9) and the
degree of adhesive discoloration and strike through after
exposure to a defined amount of radiation similar in
spectrum to that of solar radiation.
test equipment
Any apparatus capable of exposing samples to a mercury
vapour lamp, xenon arc or other radiation source with
similar spectral characteristics to that of solar radiation.
The temperature reached by the sample should not exceed
50°C.
conditions when appropriate by using Blue Wool Scale No.
5 or No. 6 as the starting point for the standard, each unit
step in the Blue Wool Scale approximately doubling the
exposure level.
procedure
Expose the strips to the lamp for the time and distance
defined under “Test Conditions”. The strips should be
exposed as a laminate with the facing material towards
the lamp. Retain the control set of strips at 23°C ± 2°C and
50% RH ± 5% RH.
At the end of the test period remove the strips from the
apparatus and, after allowing the specified conditioning
period appropriate to each test method, test the strips,
together with the control strips, by the appropriate test
method (FTM 1, 2, 8 or 9).
The single strip and a control should also be evaluated for
discoloration and strike through of adhesive by removing
them from their protective release material, then adhering
to black card and carrying out a visual examination.

test pieces
These should be strips taken from a representative sample
of material. The strips should be 25 mm wide and have
a minimum length of 175 mm in the machine direction.
The cuts should be clean and straight. A minimum of three
strips are required for each physical property being tested
together with a single strip for evaluation of discoloration
and strike through. A duplicate set of strips is also required
to act as control.
results
Resistance to ultra-violet light is expressed as the
percentage reduction (any increases being denoted as
such) in each average value when compared to the control
samples.
The discoloration and strike-through should be reported
descriptively as nil, slight, moderate or severe.

If conditions other than the standard (Blue Wool Scale 4 -

test conditions Grey Wool Scale 3) are used, then this must be stated.

The distance of the samples from the radiation source and

the time of exposure should be such that, at this distance/
time combination, a standard Blue Wool Scale No. 4 will
fade by Grey Scale step 3 (see Notes). This defines the
FINAT TECHNICAL HANDBOOK 2014 |

total quantity of radiation falling on the sample and is

approximately equivalent to 1 month summer sunlight.
Since lamp characteristics change with time, the distance/
time combination should be checked at intervals during the
life of the lamp.

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notes
1. The exposure levels are taken from the International
Standard ISO 105: 1978
‘Textiles - Tests for Colour Fastness’. The equivalent
British Standard is BS 1006:1978 – ‘Colour Fastness of
Textiles and Leather’.
2. The Blue Wool Scales and Grey Scales are obtainable
from various national Standard Organisations
including:

BSI – UK National Standards Body

389 Chiswick High Road,
London W4 4AL, United Kingdom
Tel.: +44-845-0869001
E-Mail: cservices@bsigroup.com
URL: www.bsigroup.com

DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V.

Am DIN-Platz
Burggrafenstrasse 6
D-10787 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49-30-2601-0
Fax: +49-30-26011231
URL: www.din.de

Japanese Standards Association

Mita MT Bldg., 3-13-12 Mita
Minato-ku, Tokyo 109-0073, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-42308503
Fax: +81-3-42318650
URL: www.jsa.or.jp

Bureau de Normalisation NBN

40, Rue Jozef II, Boite 6
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: +32-2-7380111
Fax: +32-2-7334264
URL: www.nbn.be

Association Française de Normalisation

11, rue Francis de Pressensé
F-93571 La Plaine Saint-Denis Cedex, France
Tel.: +33-1-41628000
FINAT TECHNICAL HANDBOOK 2014 |

Fax: +33-1-49179000
URL: www.afnor.fr

Issued 1985
Revised October 1995
Revised March 1999
Revised May 2001
Addresses revised January 2014

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