Ceast hv3 tester

Vicat softening temperature (VST) was measured in accordance with ISO 306 with a CEAST HV3 tester (Instron, Norwood, MA, USA). Determination of the temperature at which a standard indenter (3 mm long, circular cross-section, and area 1 ± 0.015 mm²) penetrates 1 mm into the surface of the test specimen under the load when the temperature is raised at a uniform rate. The temperature at 1 ± 0.01 mm penetration is quoted as the VST. Method B 120, using a force of 50 N and heating rate of 120 °C/h. Test specimens were 4 mm thick and 10 mm square. The total number of specimens tested at one point in the tensile test was not less than 3.

The thermal properties of the UPR-based composite samples were assessed using thermogravimetry. The TG/DTG data were acquired using the STA 449 F1 Jupiter thermal analyzer from Netzsch (Selb, Germany) at a temperature ranging from 30 to 1000 °C and a heating rate of 10 °C min⁻¹ in an oxidative atmosphere of synthetic air. The test procedure complied with the requirements specified in the EN ISO 11358-1:2014 standard [25 ].
The Vicat softening temperature (VST) was determined using a CEAST HV3 tester from Instron (Turin, Italy) according to the EN ISO 306:2013 standard [26 ]. The B120 measurement method was applied, with a force of 50 N and a heating rate of 120 °C h⁻¹.
The heat deflection temperature (HDT) test was performed using the CEAST HV3 Instron apparatus (Turin, Italy) in accordance with the EN ISO 75-2:2013 standard [27 ]. The C-measurement method (flexural stress of 8 MPa) with a heating rate of 120 °C h⁻¹ was used. A deflection value of 0.36 mm was also assumed.