Services
ASTM E595 Outgas Testing
Pacific Testing Laboratories (PTL) is the premier worldwide leader in ASTM E595 outgas testing (including NASA SP-R-0022A, ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C, and IPC-TM-650 2.6.4). The ASTM E595 outgas test (Standard Test Method for Total Mass Loss and Collected Volatile Condensable Materials from Outgassing in a Vacuum Environment) is a screening technique to determine the percent volatile contact of materials (organic, polymeric, inorganic) when exposed to a vacuum environment (less than 5 x 10⁻⁵ torr) at elevated temperature (125°C). The following parameters are measured: total mass loss (TML), collected volatile condensable materials (CVCM), and the optional amount of water vapor regained (WVR). Historically, a TML of 1.00% and CVCM of 0.10% have been used as screening levels for rejection of spacecraft materials.
An additional (separate) qualitative test may be requested and performed on the CVCM residue by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). PTL utilizes an FTIR microscope for organic characterization (qualitative characterization of the major organic compound present) of the residue on the collector plates.
As a NASA and JPL-approved laboratory for testing of printed circuit board materials, PTL has also received continual laboratory suitability approval (only laboratory for ASTM E595 testing) from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land and Maritime (Department of Defense, United States of America). Our technical staff are members of ASTM’s Committee E21 (Space Simulation and Applications of Space Technology), including Subcommittee E21.05 on Contamination.
ASTM E1559 Outgassing Properties Test
PTL also offers the ASTM E1559 Outgassing kinetics test (Standard Test Method for Contamination Outgassing Characteristics of Spacecraft Materials). This test, through the use of quartz crystal microbalances (QCM), measures the outgassing and deposition kinetics of materials. In other words, it determines the rate at which materials release molecular contaminants in a vacuum, and how those contaminants are deposited on surfaces at different temperatures. Typical properties obtained are the mass deposited on QCMs, total mass loss (TML), volatile condensable material (VCM) and outgassing rates (OGR) as a function of time. An optional residual gas analysis (RGA) may be used to help characterize some of the outgassed species. Originally developed for evaluating spacecraft materials, the test also has applications for the aerospace, electronics, and semiconductor industries.
