prEN 15466-3

Overview

The European Standard prEN 15466-3:2006, developed by the CEN Technical Committee CEN/TC 227, establishes a reliable test method for determining the drying behaviour and solids content of primers used with cold and hot applied joint sealants. These primers play a critical role in enhancing adhesion and performance in various sealing applications, especially in road construction and construction materials.

This standard provides a systematic procedure to evaluate how primers lose volatile substances during drying as well as measure their solid residue content after drying under controlled laboratory conditions. Understanding these properties is essential to ensure primer quality, consistency, and compliance with performance requirements for sealing joints.

Key Topics

• Drying Behaviour: Measures the rate and extent of volatile substances evaporation from the primer under a standard atmosphere (23 ± 2 °C temperature and 50 ± 5% relative humidity). This is expressed as a percentage mass loss after 60 and 90 minutes.

• Solids Content: Defines the non-volatile residue remaining after drying the primer at 110 °C for 24 hours. This parameter is crucial for understanding the primer composition and performance.

• Test Apparatus and Procedure:

  • Use of analytical balance (precision ≤ 1 mg)
  • Single-use syringes and standardized Petri dishes for sample containment
  • Conditioning of samples and equipment under defined atmospheres in line with EN ISO 291
  • Laboratory oven capable of stable temperature maintenance (>120 °C)
  • Stepwise testing including weighing before and after specific drying times, drying in an oven, and conditioning in a desiccator.

• Calculations and Reporting:

  • Specific formulas for calculating drying behaviour after 60 and 90 minutes and solids content based on mass measurements.
  • Results are expressed as averages of three replicates for accuracy.
  • Comprehensive test report requirements including product details, batch information, date of testing, results, and analyst identification.

Applications

The prEN 15466-3 standard is primarily applicable to:

• Road Construction Materials: Ensuring primers for joint sealants meet required drying and solids content criteria to perform in road pavement joints.

• Construction Sealants: Assess primers used in both cold and hot applied sealing compounds on building joints where durability and adhesion are vital.

• Quality Control Laboratories: Provides standardized procedures for manufacturers and testing labs to verify primer quality in production batches.

• Product Development: Assists R&D teams in evaluating new primer formulations by quantifying drying properties and solids content, enabling optimization before market release.

By adopting this standard, stakeholders can better predict primer performance during installation and service life, reducing failure risks and increasing sealant longevity.

Related Standards

prEN 15466-3:2006 is part of a series of standards focused on primers for joint sealants and should be used in conjunction with:

• prEN 15466-1: Test method for determination of homogeneity of primers for cold and hot applied joint sealants.
• prEN 15466-2: Test method for determination of primer resistance against alkali exposure.
• prEN 14188-4: Specifications for primers for cold and hot applied sealants, providing normative references for primer properties.
• EN ISO 291: Defines standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing, fundamental for the controlled environment in which primer testing is conducted.

These interconnected standards form a comprehensive framework ensuring that primers for joint sealants meet stringent quality and performance criteria within European and international markets.

Keywords: prEN 15466-3, primers for joint sealants, drying behaviour test, solids content determination, cold applied sealants, hot applied sealants, CEN standard, road construction materials, primer quality control, laboratory testing procedure.