ASTM D883-08

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:D 883–07 Designation: D 883 – 08
Standard Terminology Relating to
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Plastics
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 883; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This terminology covers definitions of technical terms used in the plastics industry. Terms that are generally understood or
adequately defined in other readily available sources are not included.
1.2 When a term is used in anASTM document for which Committee D20 is responsible it is included only when judged, after
review, by Subcommittee D20.92 to be a generally usable term.
1.3 Definitions that are identical to those published by another standards body are identified with the abbreviation of the name
of the organization; for example, IUPAC is the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
1.4 Adefinition is a single sentence with additional information included in discussion notes. It is reviewed every 5 years; the
year of last review is appended.
1.5 For literature related to plastics terminology, see Appendix X1.
2. Referenced Documents
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
C 162 Terminology of Glass and Glass Products
D 638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
D 747 Test Method for Apparent Bending Modulus of Plastics by Means of a Cantilever Beam
D 790 Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials
D 882 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting
D 907 Terminology of Adhesives
D 1003 Test Method for Haze and Luminous Transmittance of Transparent Plastics
D 1566 Terminology Relating to Rubber
D 4703 Practice for Compression Molding Thermoplastic Materials into Test Specimens, Plaques, or Sheets
E 308 Practice for Computing the Colors of Objects by Using the CIE System
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
A-stage, n—an early stage in the preparation of certain thermosetting resins in which the material is still soluble in certain liquids,
and may be liquid or capable of becoming liquid upon heating.
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DISCUSSION—Sometimes referred to as Resol. (See also B-stage and C-stage.) (1978)
acetal plastics, n—plastics based on polymers having a predominance of acetal linkages in the main chain. (See also
polyoxymethylene.) (1985)
acrylic plastics—plastics based on polymers made with acrylic acid or a structural derivative of acrylic acid. (1982)
addition polymerization—polymerization in which monomers are linked together without the splitting off of water or other
simple molecules. (1983)
adiabatic extrusion—a method of extrusion in which, after the extrusion apparatus has been heated sufficiently by conventional
means to plastify the material, the extrusion process can be continued with the sole source of heat being the conversion of the
drive energy, through viscous resistance of the plastic mass in the extruder. (1978)
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This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.92 on Terminology.
Current edition approved MayMarch 1, 2007.2008. Published June 2007.March 2008. Originally approved in 1946. Last previous edition approved in 20002007 as
D 883 - 007.
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For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
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Date indicates year of introduction or latest review or revision.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
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D883–08
aging, n—(1) the effect on materials of exposure to an environment for an interval of time. (2) the process of exposing materials
to an environment for an interval of time. (1973)
alkyd plastics—plastics based on alkyd resins. (1980)
alkyd resin—a polyester convertible into a crosslinked form; requiring a reactant of functionality higher than two, or having
double bonds. (1982)
alloy, n (in plastics)—two or more immiscible polymers united, usually by another component, to form a plastic re
...