1. Scope

1.1 This practice measures the volatile organic compound (VOC) content of solventborne and waterborne paints and related coatings as determined from the quantity of material released from a sample under specified bake conditions and subtracting exempt volatile compounds and water if present.

Note 1The regulatory definition, under the control of the U.S. EPA, can change. To ensure currency, contact the local air pollution control agency.

1.2 This practice provides a guide to the selection of appropriate ASTM test methods for the determination of VOC content.

1.3 Certain organic compounds that may be released under the specified bake conditions are not classified as VOC as they do not participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions. Such nonphotochemically reactive compounds are referred to as exempt volatile compounds in this practice.

Note 2A list of the current US EPA approved exempt volatile compounds is found in Appendix Appendix X3, paragraph X3.1.1.

1.4 VOC content is calculated as a function of ( 1 ) the volume of coating less water and exempt volatile compounds, and ( 2 ) the volume of coating solids, and ( 3 ) the weight of coating solids.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D1475 Test Method For Density of Liquid Coatings, Inks, and Related Products

D2369 Test Method for Volatile Content of Coatings

D2697 Test Method for Volume Nonvolatile Matter in Clear or Pigmented Coatings

D2832 Guide for Determining Volatile and Nonvolatile Content of Paint and Related Coatings

D3792 Test Method for Water Content of Coatings by Direct Injection Into a Gas Chromatograph

D3925 Practice for Sampling Liquid Paints and Related Pigmented Coatings

D4017 Test Method for Water in Paints and Paint Materials by Karl Fischer Method

D4457 Test Method for Determination of Dichloromethane and 1,1,1-Trichloroethane in Paints and Coatings by Direct Injection into a Gas Chromatograph

D5095 Test Method for Determination of the Nonvolatile Content in Silanes, Siloxanes and Silane-Siloxane Blends Used in Masonry Water Repellent Treatments

D5201 Practice for Calculating Formulation Physical Constants of Paints and Coatings

D5403 Test Methods for Volatile Content of Radiation Curable Materials

D6093 Test Method for Percent Volume Nonvolatile Matter in Clear or Pigmented Coatings Using a Helium Gas Pycnometer

D6133 Test Method for Acetone, p-Chlorobenzotrifluoride, Methyl Acetate or t-Butyl Acetate Content of Solventborne and Waterborne Paints, Coatings, Resins, and Raw Materials by Direct Injection Into a Gas Chromatograph

D6419 Test Method for Volatile Content of Sheet-Fed and Coldset Web Offset Printing Inks

D6438 Test Method for Acetone, Methyl Acetate, and Parachlorobenzotrifluoride Content of Paints, and Coatings by Solid Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography

D6886 Test Method for Determination of the Individual Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Air-Dry Coatings by Gas Chromatography

E180 Practice for Determining the Precision of ASTM Methods for Analysis and Testing of Industrial and Specialty Chemicals

Keywords

test precision; VOC; VOC calculations; VOC content; VOC content of paint

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 87.040 (Paints and varnishes)

DOI: 10.1520/D3960-01

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.