Xenon Arc Test Chamber VS UV Aging Test Chamber
In daily life, clothing is of great significance as it is frequently exposed to sunlight and moisture. Over time, clothes are prone to issues like fading and cracking, which seriously impact their appearance and performance. Thus, for fabric production and sales companies, accurately assessing the aging resistance of clothing is crucial.
There are two main types of aging tests: natural environment aging and artificial accelerated aging. Because natural aging processes are slow, researchers have developed methods to simulate the effects of sunlight and moisture for short periods of time. Common accelerated testing equipment includes UV aging test chambers and xenon lamp aging test chambers. They are widely used in product research and development, quality control, etc., and are suitable for aging research on various materials.
Contents
1. What are xenon arc lamps and UV lamps?
1.1 Xenon arc lamps
Xenon arc lamps use xenon lamps as light sources and can simulate the entire solar spectrum, including ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. Its spectrum is in the range of 295 – 800 nm, which is highly similar to the solar spectrum. This feature enables it to fully simulate the comprehensive effects of sunlight on materials in the natural environment. It is suitable for testing a variety of materials, such as automotive interior materials and various textiles.
1.2 UV lamps
UV lamps use UV lamp tubes to produce ultraviolet light with specific wavelengths, but it cannot simulate the complete solar spectrum. The shortest wavelength band from 365 nm to the solar spectrum, especially the short-wave ultraviolet light of 300 – 400 nm, is the main factor causing material aging. For some materials that are only sensitive to ultraviolet rays, such as certain types of plastics, coatings, etc., UV lamps are more suitable for their aging tests.
2. What is a Xenon Arc test chamber?
2.1 Working principle
The Xenon Arc test chamber uses a xenon lamp as a light source to simulate solar radiation. Xenon arc lamps are high-intensity gas discharge lamps that can accurately simulate the spectral distribution of sunlight. When the test chamber is running, the xenon arc lamp is activated by high voltage to release strong light to simulate the effect of sunlight on the material. Its light source system is also equipped with optical components such as reflectors and filters to ensure that the light can be evenly irradiated on the test sample.
2.2 Test method
Xenon arc lamps select different filters according to different irradiance requirements. Replacing the filter glass can change the type of short-wave ultraviolet rays that pass through, thereby changing the speed and form of material damage.
Daylight filter: used to simulate direct sunlight outdoors, suitable for testing materials used outdoors.
Window glass filter: used to simulate sunlight through window glass, often used for testing indoor materials, such as printed materials or textiles.
Ultraviolet extended filter: This filter allows ultraviolet rays below the normal cutoff point of natural sunlight to pass through. Used to provide faster and more stringent test conditions. Commonly used in related tests in the fields of automobiles, aviation, etc.
Flat-plate type: refer to the YG611T and YG611F models, which are conducive to the flat-laying test of large-area samples and ensure uniform light exposure;
Rotary drum type: refer to the YG611M model. By rotating the sample, each part of the sample can receive light more evenly, which is suitable for material testing scenarios with high requirements for test uniformity.
Note: Irradiance, that is, the luminous flux of visible light received per unit area. In the xenon lamp aging test chamber, different test requirements correspond to different irradiance values, and different filters need to be selected.
2.3 Practical application scenarios
The Xenon Arc test chamber is particularly suitable for testing material aging. These materials require comprehensive consideration of multiple factors. Materials used outdoors, such as automotive parts, building materials, and outdoor consumer products, are affected by multiple factors such as light, temperature, and humidity during actual use. The Xenon Arc test chamber can simulate these complex environments well.
2.4 Applicable standards
ISO 4892-2, ISO 11341, ISO 105 – B02、ISO 105 – B04, ASTM G155, GB/T 8427, GB/T 8430, AATCC TM16.3, JIS L0843, etc.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the UV aging test chamber, which has its own distinct characteristics and applications.
3. What is a UV aging test chamber?
3.1 Working Principle
The UV aging test chamber mainly simulates the destructive ultraviolet part of sunlight. Its spectrum is relatively more concentrated, but its aging – effect intensity is stronger. The device uses specific fluorescent UV lamps to produce ultraviolet rays that have the most significant effect on material aging, thereby simulating the destructive effects of sunlight on materials.
Note: Aging – effect intensity denotes the degree of aging effect that ultraviolet rays exert on materials per unit time. In the UV aging test chamber, due to its spectrum being highly concentrated in the UV band with a significant impact on material aging, the aging intensity is relatively high, enabling the acceleration of the material’s aging process.
3.2 Test method
Use a specific fluorescent UV lamp to continuously release ultraviolet rays that are most harmful to material aging. This simulates the process of sunlight damaging materials, and then observes and evaluates the aging performance of materials under this strong UV environment.
3.3 Practical application scenarios
The UV aging test chamber is mainly used to simulate the aging of materials under high-intensity and highly destructive UV rays. It has high test efficiency and obvious advantages in some specific scenarios. It is especially suitable for evaluating materials that age mainly due to UV irradiation, such as the yellowing and brittleness of some plastics under the action of UV rays.
3.4 Applicable standards
ASTM G154-16a, ISO 4892-3 2016, GB/T 16422.3-2014, JIS K7350-2008, etc.
After understanding the basic information of the two types of lamps and test chambers, let’s compare them in detail.
4. Comparison between Xenon Arc test chamber and UV aging test chamber
| Compare items | Xenon Arc test chamber | UV aging test chamber |
| Light source | Simulates full-spectrum sunlight, including ultraviolet, visible light, and infrared | Focuses on UVA and UVB ultraviolet bands |
| Aging principle | Multiple factors, light and heat, etc. synergistically induce aging | Strong ultraviolet rays stimulate photochemical reactions |
| Applicable materials | Materials for comprehensive outdoor use, e.g., building materials and automotive parts | Materials sensitive to ultraviolet rays, e.g., plastics and inks |
| Testing cycle | Long, taking weeks, months or even years | Short, a few days to a few weeks |
| Equipment cost | High, complex structure and expensive maintenance | Low, simple structure and easy maintenance |
| Environmental simulation | Can simulate complex environments such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, etc. | Mainly controls temperature, weak environmental simulation |
| Applicable Standards | ASTM G155, ISO 4892-2, etc. | ASTM G154, ISO 4892 – 3, etc. |
In summary, there are significant differences between the Xenon Arc test chamber and the UV aging test chamber in terms of light source characteristics, aging principles, and applicable materials. In practical applications, many factors need to be considered. It is necessary to select appropriate aging test equipment based on material properties, test requirements and budget. This selection ensures that accurate, reliable and practical test results can be obtained. This provides strong support for product research and development, quality control and material performance optimization.
