Natural materials, like plastics, inks, and coatings are generally harmed by the introduction to light and weathering. This is the primary reason why accelerated weathering test and light stability testers are widely utilized for material certification, quality control, and research and development. The outcomes delivered by these testers are usually reproducible and quick. The xenon arc test chamber and the UV (QUV) accelerated weathering testing equipment are one product that are widely utilized. But, regardless of being the most frequently utilized, these two are built based on different approaches.
The xenon arc test chamber is planned so that it replicates the entire spectrum of sunlight including Infrared (IR), Ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. The xenon arc is fundamentally an attempt to imitate sunlight from 295 nm-800nm. With regards to QUV, it just repeats the damaging impacts of sunlight which happens from 300 nm – 400 nm. These specific testers depend on the idea that the tough materials which are exposed outside experience the most weathering damage from the short-wave UV.
QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester
The design of QUV Accelerated Weathering Testers is such that it duplicates the damaging effects which are typically brought by sunlight on sturdy materials through using fluorescent UV lights. The coating on the glass tubes is structured cautiously such that the tubes that mainly produce UV rather than IF or visible light. There are different kinds of lights that have distinctive spectra for different exposure applications. UVA – 340 lights are the ones that give the best accessible recreation of sunlight in the important short-wave UV area. The UV-B lights are likewise routinely utilized in this tester in which they cause quicker degradation than the UV-A lights.
The primary benefit of utilizing QUV Accelerated Weathering testing equipment is that it permits the most realistic reproduction of outside dampness attack for it utilizes a condensation mechanism that is one of a kind to recreate the outdoor dampness such as dew, rain, and sunlight.
Q-lab is a well-known company supplier and provider of material weathering testing products since 1956 such as QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester if you are looking at this testing equipment you may visit at H.J Unkel.
Xenon Arc Test Chamber
The way that the xenon arc test chamber produces energy in the noticeable, infrared and UV region causes them to be viewed as the best simulation of full-range sunlight. It is important to filter the xenon arc spectrum with the goal that common daylight can be recreated. These filters play the job of reducing undesirable radiation or/and heat. There are various sorts of different glass filters that can accomplish different spectra. The primary factors that decide the filters that are utilized incorporate the material tried and the end-use application. The various kinds of filters permit varying amounts of short-wave UV and this can influence the type and speed of degradation fundamentally.
Most of the xenon arc test chamber mimics the effect of dampness through humidity control and additionally water spray system. The xenon chambers spray water onto the test specimen to reproduce the effect of outdoor dampness. This specific method is particularly perfect for re-enacting the effects of mechanical erosion or thermal shock. These testers, for the most part, have a system that controls relative humidity, temperature and light power (irradiance).
Which is better?
Settling on a choice on the most reasonable method you use ought to rely upon the material you are trying, your budgetary limitations and the end-use application. This is primarily because both these approaches can be viable relying upon your application.
