ISO 15314:2018

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15314
Second edition
2018-08
Plastics — Methods for marine
exposure
Plastiques — Méthodes d'exposition aux intempéries marines
Reference number
©
ISO 2018
© ISO 2018
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ii © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
4.1 General . 2
4.2 Significance . 2
5 Requirements for apparatus . 3
5.1 General requirements . 3
5.2 Requirements for method A, floating exposure . 3
5.3 Requirements for method B, partial-immersion exposure . 4
5.4 Requirements for method C, shallow-immersion exposure . 5
6 Test specimens. 5
6.1 Form and preparation . 5
6.2 Number of test specimens . 7
6.3 Storage and conditioning . 8
7 Procedure. 8
7.1 General . 8
7.2 Specific procedure for method A, marine floating exposure . 9
7.3 Specific procedure for method B, partial-immersion exposure . 9
7.4 Specific procedure for method C, shallow-immersion exposure . 9
7.5 Evaluation of specimens after exposure . 9
8 Test report .10
Bibliography .12
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
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electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
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URL: www .iso .org/iso/foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 6, Ageing,
chemical and environmental resistance.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 15314:2004), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows.
— The term “sunlight” has been replaced by “solar radiation” or “global solar radiation”.
— ISO 293, ISO 294-1, ISO 294-2, ISO 294-3, ISO 295 and ISO 3167 have been moved to the bibliography.
— In Clause 2, the withdrawn International Standard ISO 877 has been replaced by ISO 877-1, ISO 877-2,
and ISO 877-3.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
iv © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Plastics are often used in outdoor applications where they are immersed or partially immersed in water.
In some cases, materials made from plastic are designed to float on water. In others, plastic articles
that are discarded end up as floating debris. In addition to the effects of global solar radiation and
heat, plastic polymers or products exposed in marine environments may be subjected to hydrolysis,
water absorption, extraction of stabilizers, erosion by wave action, corrosion by salts and/or attack by
seaborne microorganisms. These stresses are not simulated in typical weathering exposures conducted
in accordance with ISO 877-1, ISO 877-2 and ISO 877-3. Therefore, it is necessary to define procedures
that realistically and consistently stress plastic materials in the same way that they would be in
products used or discarded in marine environments. This document describes three procedures for
the exposure of plastic materials in the same way as they could be when used in marine environments.
There are four primary reasons why the rate of degradation of plastics exposed at sea can be different
from that for the same plastic exposed on land:
a) exposure in moist conditions is known to accelerate degradation of some polymers — small
amounts of absorbed water can act as a plasticizer, increasing accessibility of the matrix to oxygen,
or can leach out stabilizing additives;
b) differences in heat build-up between plastics exposed in water or on the surface compared to
plastics exposed on land;
c) the action of microorganisms that can shield the plastic from UV radiation or can enhance
biodegradation processes;
d) the action of macroorganism settlements that can produce disfigurement of surfaces.
It is essential to establish appropriate exposure procedures in order to properly assess the performance
of plastics used in marine environments, and to evaluate how long plastics discarded as litter will
persist in marine environments.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15314:2018(E)
Plastics — Methods for marine exposure
1 Scope
This document describes three methods for the exposure of plastics in a marine environment. Method A
covers exposures where specimens float on the surface, method B covers exposures where specimens
are partially immersed method C covers exposures where specimens are completely immersed.
Although intended for marine (salt water) exposure, the methodology can be used with outdoor
brackish water and fresh-water exposures as well. Direct weathering of plastics on land is described in
ISO 877-1, ISO 877-2 and ISO 877-3.
Method A is particularly applicable to enhanced-degradability plastics where the environmental
degradation under marine floating exposure is expected to be accelerated relative to that of regular
plastic materials.
This document specifies the general requirements for the apparatus, and procedures for using the test
methods described.
It lists properties that can be used to evaluate changes in plastics subjected to marine exposure. More
specific information about methods for determining the changes in properties of plastics on exposure
and reporting these results is given in ISO 4582.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 291, Plastics — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
ISO 877-1, Plastics — Methods of exposure to solar radiation — Part 1: General guidance
ISO 877-2, Plastics — Methods of exposure to solar radiation — Part 2: Direct weathering and exposure
behind window glass
ISO 877-3, Plastics — Methods of exposure to solar radiation — Part 3: Intensified weathering using
concentrated solar radiation
ISO 2818, Plastics — Preparation of test specimens by machining
ISO 4582, Plastics — Determination of changes in colour and variations in properties after exposure to
glass-filtered solar radiation, natural weathering or laboratory radiation sources
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
control
material which is of similar composition and construction to the test material, and which
is exposed at the same time for comparison with the test material
Note 1 to entry: An example of the use of a control material would be when a formulation different from one
currently being used is being evaluated. In that case, the control would be the plastic made with the original
formulation.
3.2
file specimen
portion of the material to be tested which is stored under conditions in which it is stable, and is used for
comparison between the exposed state and the original state
4 Principle
4.1 General
Replicate specimens of the appropriate size and shape are exposed floating on the surface of water,
partially immersed in water or completely immersed in water. After the prescribed exposure interval,
the specimens are removed from the water and tested/examined for changes in chemical, physical and/
or appearance properties. In addition, the specimens may be tested for the type and severity of microbial
growth or biofouling. Unless otherwise specified, test specimens are exposed in an unstrained state.
The exposure intervals at which the specimens are tested/examined are typically defined in terms of
a given length of time. In some cases, however, the exposure interval may be expressed in terms of
the
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