Testing for ozone resistance

Ozone may already be attacking your products. The issue is whether you find out before damage is done.

For more than 60 years, SATRA’s industry-leading range of Ozone test chambers have helped global tyre, hose and rubber component manufacturers prove their compounds in the laboratory. Ozone cannot be seen and it cannot be stopped. Once it has done its work, the damage cannot be reversed.

Ozone (O₃) is present in the air everywhere that products are made, shipped, stored and used. Outdoors, it sits at around 0.003 parts per million (ppm), and climbs sharply near electric motors, welding torches and high-voltage equipment. It is one of the most aggressive oxidising agents a material will ever experience.

Rubber under strain is a particular target. Ozone attacks the polymer at the surface, opening fine cracks that run across the direction of stretch. Over time, those cracks grow, join up and eventually form holes.

The real cost

Ozone damage rarely announces itself at the end of the production line. It shows up months or years later as a split sidewall, leaky seal, cracked sole or burst coolant pipe. By then, it is no longer a materials problem. It is a commercial one which may create i) rejected batches that fail a customer’s QA inspection, ii) warranty claims that erode margin long after sale, iii) product recalls that cost more than the parts involved, and iv) brand damage that outlasts the recall itself.

Many failures blamed on ‘poor material’ have ozone as a hidden cause. The only reliable defence is to specify, verify and validate resistance before placing your compound or product on the market.

Ten years of ozone exposure in 48 hours

SATRA’s ozone test chambers compress years of atmospheric attack into days. Around 48 hours in the chamber can produce roughly ten years of normal outdoor exposure, depending on the material. As a result, compounds and design changes can be compared or a reformulated product released in a fraction of the time normally taken.

SATRA test chambers feature:

• precise and repeatable ozone concentration, temperature, humidity and airflow
• static and dynamic test capabilities which help to mimic real-world use during exposure
• safety-driven design that ensures that operators remain protected through use of the in-built closed-loop system, preventing any need for external venting or filtering of spent gas

A proven heritage spanning many decades makes SATRA a renowned world leader in ozone chamber development.

Relevant standards
Standard	What it covers
ISO 1431-1	Resistance of vulcanised and thermoplastic rubber to zone cracking under static and dynamic strain
ISO 1431-3	Methods for determining ozone concentration in the test chamber
ASTM D1149	Rubber deterioration – cracking in an ozone-controlled environment
ASTM D1171	Surface ozone cracking of rubber, using triangular specimens

A ‘one-stop shop’

SATRA does not only build the chamber. We routinely supply, commission, service and calibrate our chambers globally. Coupled with this is SATRA’s extensive range of stocked consumables such as UV lamps, filters and accessories.

Our network of distributors and in-house teams deliver responsive expert support, to a truly global customer base.

Protect your products before ozone finds them.

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