ISO 11357

ISO 11357 provides guidelines on how to measure various thermal properties of plastic materials using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a thermal analysis technique that detects heat flow changes as a material is heated or cooled. This test can determine glass transition temperature, melting temperature, crystallization temperature, and heat capacity.

Purpose of ISO 11357 Testing:

• It establishes a consistent methodology for characterizing the thermal behavior and transitions of plastic materials across a range of temperatures.
• The test involves placing a small sample (typically 5-10mg) in a sealed pan and heating or cooling it at a controlled rate while measuring the heat flow difference between the sample and a reference pan.
• DSC can identify critical thermal transitions including glass transition temperature (Tg), melting temperature (Tm), crystallization temperature (Tc), and can measure enthalpy changes associated with these transitions.
• The glass transition temperature indicates when an amorphous polymer transitions from rigid and glassy to soft and rubbery, while the melting temperature shows when crystalline regions become fluid.
• Different parts of ISO 11357 cover specific measurements: Part 1 (general principles), Part 2 (glass transition temperature), Part 3 (melting and crystallization temperature), Part 4 (heat capacity), and others.
• Having a standardized test method ensures results are reproducible and comparable across different laboratories and manufacturers.

Application to 3D Printing Filament:

• Many 3D printing filaments are thermoplastics (like PLA, ABS, PETG, nylon, and others) with distinct thermal transitions. Understanding these transitions helps optimize print settings and predict material behavior.
• Manufacturers can use ISO 11357 testing to verify the thermal properties of their filament, ensuring material purity, proper crystallinity, and consistency across production batches.
• Designers and engineers might reference ISO 11357 results to understand the material's thermal behavior, helping set appropriate print temperatures, bed temperatures, and annealing protocols for improved part properties.
• The standardized nature of ISO 11357 testing helps in comparing different filament brands or formulations, revealing differences in polymer composition, crystallinity, additives, and processing history that affect print quality and final part performance.

Benefits for 3D Printing and End Users:

• Quality Control: It allows filament producers to verify material composition and consistency, detecting contamination, degradation, or incorrect polymer blends that could affect print quality.
• Material Selection: Users can review ISO 11357 results (if available) to understand a filament's thermal transitions, helping them optimize print temperatures and predict behavior during cooling and annealing.
• Predictable Performance: Understanding glass transition and melting temperatures helps users set appropriate print parameters, predict dimensional stability at elevated temperatures, and design effective annealing processes to improve mechanical properties of printed parts.

References

Read more about ISO 11357 on the ISO's website.