This document establishes a system of designation for polystyrene thermoplastic material, which can be used as the basis for specifications.
The types of polystyrene plastics are differentiated from each other by a classification system based on appropriate levels of the designatory properties:
a) Vicat softening temperature, and
b) melt mass-flow rate.
and on information about the intended application and/or method of processing, important properties, additives and colorants, fillers and reinforcing materials.
This document is applicable to all amorphous polystyrene homopolymers. It applies to materials ready for normal use, unmodified or modified by colorants, additives, fillers, etc.
This document does not apply to expanded polystyrene, styrene copolymers, homopolymers of substituted styrene or those modified with other polymers such as elastomers.
It is not intended to imply that materials having the same designation give necessarily the same performance. This document does not provide engineering data, performance data or data on processing conditions which might be required to specify a material for a particular application and/or method of processing.
If such additional properties are required, they are determined in accordance with the test methods specified in ISO 24022-2, if suitable.
In order to specify a thermoplastic material for a particular application or to ensure reproducible processing, additional requirements can be given in data block 5 (see 4.6).
