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Organisationseinheit der BAM
Heating oil storage tanks made of polyethylene grades have been on the market in Germany since the early 1970s. To ensure safety, their replacement is recommended by tank manufacturers after a period of 30 years. Polyethylene is subject to ageing by alteration of the properties during its life cycle. The degree of degradation and the nature of the process mainly depend on the chemical alteration of the polyethylene, the wall thickness of the tank and the environmental conditions. There are no data available on the long-term behaviour of the polyethylene grades, especially after a service life of more than 30 years.
The aim of this investigation was to find a suitable test method to determine the factual degree of damage in comparison to the uncontaminated polyethylene grades. Material data of the used polyethylene grades are available because the BAM was the competent authority for the tests and expert reports for the approval of these tanks until the middle of the 1990s. Therefore, tank sections from the bottom, the shell and the roof of 22 individual storage tanks produced of polyethylene grades A and B have been examined by Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR). Their service life was in the range between 20 and 41 years.
The MFR measurements of the tank sections showed differences in the values depending on the weight which was used (5 kg or 21.6 kg). An increase of the MFR was determined for the samples of polyethylene grade A, whereas a reduction of the MFR values was measured for most samples of polyethylene grade B. This grade is mainly subject to the internal ageing by cross-linkages, increased degree of branched molecules and loss of the plasticizer.
ATR analysis exhibits an absorption band at 909 cm‒1 predominantly in samples of polyethylene grade A indicating chain scission and concomitantly formed terminal vinyl groups. This absorption band can be used for the characterization of the ageing of the polyethylene grades.
Tanks for heating oil made of polyethylene grades have been on the market since the early 1970s in Germany. Tank manufacturers recommend the replacement of the tanks after a period of 30 years due to guarantee safety. Polyethylene grades are subject to ageing by alteration of the properties during their life cycle. The degree of ageing and the nature of the degradation process mainly depend on the chemical degradation of the polyethylene, the wall thickness of the tank and the environmental conditions. There are no results available on the long-term behavior of the polyethylene grades, especially after a service life of more than 30 years. The aim of this investigation was the determination of the factual degree of damage in comparison to the uncontaminated polyethylene grades. Material data of the used polyethylene grades are available because the BAM was the competent authority for the tests and expert reports for the approval of these tanks until the middle of the 1990s.
The determination of the Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and the Fourier Transmission IR Spectroscopy (FTIR) of tank sections from the bottom, the shell and the roof of 10 segregated heating oil storage tanks produced of polyethylene grades A and B were used as tests methods.
The MFR measurements of the tank sections showed differences in the values depending on the weight which was used (5 kg or 21.6 kg). A reduction of the MFR values was measured for most of the sections of tanks made of polyethylene grade B after a service life of the tanks of more than 30 years. This grade is mainly subject to the internal ageing by cross-linkages, increased degree of branched molecules and loss of the plasticizer, and to a lesser extent by oxidative degradation. The FTIR analysis, especially of tank sections of the bottom and the shell showed that the intensity of the CH2 asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations in the range: 2800 - 2900 cm-1 and the CH2 bending deformation vibration at 1400 cm-1 increased due chain scissions. The intensity of the carbonyl stretching vibration C=O at 1740 cm-1 is low. The carbonyl index characterizes the degree of oxidation.
The chemical industry has expressed great interest in using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as material for packagings for the transport of dangerous goods. Due to the high strength and stiffness of PET, the wall thickness and weight of packagings can be reduced.
The aim of this work was to find a laboratory test method for the determination of the stress cracking resistance of PET. One test method is the Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT), which was developed for polyethylene (PE) and is described in the standards EN ISO 13274 and EN 15507. It was investigated whether testing specimens made of PET with a full coplanar notch around the middle of the specimens show weakening after the impact of a tensile force in a wetting solution at 50°C. Unfortunately, this method couldn’t be used for PET because the specimens broke during notching due to the high brittleness of PET. The molding of the sheets and the following temper process for twelve hours are very time-consuming, Another possibility is laid down in BAM’s Dangerous Goods Rule BAM-GGR 015. This test was carried out with 1l PET bottles, which were filled with a 5% wetting solution and mounted with a clamping tool for 28 days at 40°C. Tensile test specimens were cut out afterwards from the middle of the bottles in the deformed areas. The tensile properties of the PET specimens couldn’t be determined due to the hardness of the material.
In conclusion, the only way to provide information about the stress cracking resistance of PET was to perform stacking tests with PET design types of packagings. 1l bottles made of PET were filled with a 5% wetting solution and stored with a stacking load for 28 days at 40°C according to EN ISO 16495. The test bottles of PET passed the stacking tests.
The chemical industry has expressed great interest in using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as material for packagings for the transport of dangerous goods. Due to the high strength and stiffness of PET, the wall thickness and weight of packagings can be reduced. This is a relevant cost factor. PET is a semi-crystalline thermoplast which is produced by polycondensation of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.
According to the European dangerous goods regulations RID and ADR, samples of PET design types of packagings for dangerous goods must be pre-stored with the original filling good for six months at 23°C, before the design type tests can be carried out. For packagings made of polyethylene (PE) tests to prove the stress cracking resistance by using laboratory methods are possible to reduce time and costs. Therefore, standard liquids, simulating the different types of damaging effects on PE are defined in RID and ADR. However, there is no information and research available about the damaging mechanisms on PET in comparison to PE, especially regarding to stress cracking resistance and test methods.
The aim of this work is to compare the stress cracking resistance of PE and PET with the Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT), which was developed by chemical industry and is described in the standards EN ISO 16101 and EN 15507. It was investigated whether testing specimens made of PE and PET with a full coplanar notch around the middle of the specimens show weakening after the impact of a tensile force in a wetting solution (Lutensol® FSA 10) at 50°C in a test device on the basis of the FNCT.
The test results confirmed the suitability of the method for eight PE grades. Unfortunately, this method couldn’t be used for PET because the specimens broke during notching. In addition the molding of the sheets and the following temper process for twelve hours are very time-consuming, and the specimens broke during notching due to the high brittleness of PET.
Another possibility to provide evidence of stress cracking resistance of PE packagings is laid down in BAM’s Dangerous Goods Rule BAM-GGR 015. This test was carried out with PE and PET bottles to compare both materials. Therefore 1l test bottles were filled with a 5% wetting solution and mounted with a clamping tool for 28 days at 40°C. Tensile test specimens were cut out afterwards from the middle of the bottles in the deformed areas. Tensile strength and breaking elongation of PE specimens were determined in comparison to the PET specimens. The tensile properties of the PET specimens couldn’t be determined due to the strength and the stiffness of the material.
In conclusion the only way to provide information about the stress cracking resistance of PET was to perform stacking tests. 1l bottles made of PE and PET were filled with a 5% wetting solution and stored with a stacking load for 28 days at 40°C according to EN ISO 16495. Design types of PE and PET both passed the stacking tests.
Oxidative damage of an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) made of polyethylene by 53 % nitric acid
(2013)
Technically high-quality hollow articles made of polyethylene have proved many times their value as dangerous goods packagings. Design type tests according to the international regulations for the transport of dangerous goods - drop test, stacking test, hydraulic pressure test and leakproofness test must be performed for every design type and manufacturer. The properties melt flow rate (MFR), relative density (D), low temperature notched Impact strength (N.I.S.) at -30 °C, environmental stress crack resistance (FNCT) and resistance to oxidative degradation Ox by nitric acid (determined by the increase of MFR) have been selected together with the corresponding test methods and tolerances for a comparison of polyethylene grades of one design type in the procedural rule on suitability proof for alternative plastic resins used for dangerous goods packagings and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) – EN 15507. We wanted to proof the practical relevance of this standard by comparing the relationship between the results of the FNCT and the times to failure of design types in stacking tests with wetting solution and normal butyl acetate saturated wetting solution.