BS EN ISO 22088-1-2006 PDF

Full title and description

STB BS EN ISO 22088-1:2006 — Plastics — Determination of resistance to environmental stress cracking (ESC) — Part 1: General guidance. This document provides guidance for selecting and interpreting test methods used to assess the susceptibility of thermoplastic materials to environmental stress cracking; it is the Part 1, non‑prescriptive guidance element of the ISO 22088 series and has been adopted as a BS/EN text.

Abstract

ISO 22088-1:2006 offers information and general guidance relevant to choosing appropriate test procedures to determine environmental stress cracking (ESC) resistance of thermoplastics. The standard explains the ESC phenomenon, lists key parameters that influence ESC behaviour (specimen condition, stress state, temperature, test medium, duration, failure criteria), and points users to the specific procedural parts of the series (Parts 2–6). Part 1 is intended primarily to help users select suitable ranking/comparative tests rather than to provide a single prescriptive test for life‑prediction.

General information

• Status: Published (adopted as EN ISO and as a BS/EN text).
• Publication date: 15 August 2006 (ISO publication); adopted as BS EN ISO 22088-1:2006 in 2006.
• Publisher: British Standards Institution (BSI) — adoption of the International Standard produced by ISO (ISO/TC 61/SC 6).
• ICS / categories: 83.080.01 — Plastics in general.
• Edition / version: Edition 1, 2006 (ISO 22088-1:2006 / EN ISO 22088-1:2006 / BS EN ISO 22088-1:2006).
• Number of pages: ISO original: 6 pages; national/BS/EN published PDF editions are typically longer due to front matter and national forewords (examples of vendor listings show BS/EN PDF lengths of around 18 pages).

Scope

This part provides general guidance for the selection of ESC test methods applicable to thermoplastic materials. It describes principles and mechanisms of environmental stress cracking, identifies factors that affect test results, and relates Part 1 guidance to the specific test procedures given in Parts 2–6 of the ISO 22088 series. It is intended to assist laboratories, materials engineers and specifiers in choosing appropriate comparative/ranking tests and in understanding limitations of short‑term laboratory ESC tests for predicting in‑service performance.

Key topics and requirements

• Explanation of environmental stress cracking mechanisms (crazing, crack initiation and propagation, void growth).
• Overview of parameters that influence ESC: specimen geometry and surface condition, stress or strain mode, temperature, chemical test medium, and test duration.
• Guidance on selection of appropriate ESC test types and matching test objectives (ranking vs. prediction).
• Reference to procedural Parts 2–6 (e.g., constant tensile load, bent strip, ball/pin impression, constant tensile deformation, slow strain rate methods).
• Advice on specimen preparation, conditioning and orientation to improve repeatability and comparability of results.
• Discussion of ESC indices and comparative metrics used to report susceptibility (ratios against reference media, rupture times, stress levels).
• Notes on applicability, limitations and interpretation: laboratory tests are generally comparative and sensitive to test conditions; results should be used with caution for direct life‑prediction.

Typical use and users

This standard is used by materials scientists, polymer engineers, quality and R&D laboratories, testing houses and manufacturers of thermoplastic products. Typical applications include material selection, comparative ranking of formulations and additives, failure investigation, quality control and research into environmental compatibility of plastics with chemicals and service environments.

Related standards

ISO 22088 series — Parts 2–6 (specific test methods) are directly related: Part 2 (constant tensile load methods), Part 3 (bent strip method), Part 4 (ball/pin impression), Part 5 (constant tensile deformation) and Part 6 (slow strain rate method). Other referenced standards commonly cited for specimen preparation and conditioning include ISO 293, ISO 294‑1 and ISO 2818. The publication was adopted by CEN as EN ISO 22088‑1:2006 and implemented by national bodies as BS EN ISO 22088‑1:2006 (national forewords apply).

Keywords

environmental stress cracking; ESC; plastics; thermoplastics; stress corrosion; test methods; specimen preparation; material ranking; ISO 22088; BS EN ISO; plastics testing.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 22088-1:2006 (adopted as BS EN ISO 22088-1:2006) is the general guidance part of the ISO 22088 series that helps users select and interpret test methods for determining environmental stress cracking (ESC) resistance of thermoplastic materials.

Q: What does it cover?

A: Part 1 covers principles, mechanisms and influencing factors of ESC, provides guidance on selecting appropriate ESC test types, discusses specimen preparation and conditioning, and points to the procedural parts (Parts 2–6) that contain specific test procedures. It emphasizes that these tests are primarily comparative/ranking tests.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Materials scientists, polymer and product engineers, laboratory managers, testing and certification bodies, failure‑analysis teams, and R&D/quality departments in companies that design, manufacture or use thermoplastic components.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As published, ISO 22088-1:2006 remains the current Part 1 text. Official records show the standard was under systematic review in 2025 and the ISO lifecycle stage was set to “to be revised” (status changed 20 November 2025), so a revision process has been started. There is no published replacement (new Part 1 edition) as of the date of this page; users should check with their national standards body or ISO for any updates or a new edition when precise compliance timing is critical.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 22088 is a multipart series. Part 1 is guidance; Parts 2–6 provide the individual, specific ESC test methods (constant tensile load, bent strip, ball/pin impression, constant tensile deformation, slow strain rate methods respectively).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Environmental stress cracking (ESC), plastics testing, thermoplastics, stress corrosion, ranking tests, specimen conditioning, ISO 22088, EN ISO, BS EN.