
Copyright © 2022 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures/2023 AATCC TM26-2020 101
1. Purpose and Scope
1.1 This test method describes a proce-
dure for determining whether sulfur-dyed
textile materials will deteriorate under
normal storage conditions and to estab-
lish the degree of such deterioration.
2. Principle
2.1 Specimens are steam-aged in a
moist atmosphere under controlled condi-
tions and then tested for loss in breaking
strength to determine if storage deteriora-
tion is likely.
3. Referenced Documents
3.1 ASTM E145, Standard Specifica-
tion for Gravity-Convection and Forced-
Ventilation Ovens.
3.2 ASTM E1402, Standard Guide for
Sampling Design.
4. Terminology
4.1 accelerated ageing, n.—in textile
processing and testing, use of controlled
environmental conditions to promote
rapid physical and/or chemical change in
a textile material.
4.2 sulfur dye, n.—a dye, containing
sulfur both as an integral part of the chro-
mophore and in attached polysulfide
chains, normally applied in the alkali-sol-
uble reduced (leuco) form from a sodium
sulfide solution and subsequently oxi-
dized to the insoluble form in the fiber.
5. Safety Precautions
5.1 The safety precautions specified in
the method/procedure are ancillary to the
testing procedures and are not intended to
be all inclusive.
5.2 It is the user’s responsibility to ref-
erence applicable safety data sheets, use
safe and proper techniques, and wear ap-
propriate personal protective equipment
in handling materials in this standard.
5.3 Users MUST consult manufactur-
ers for specific details such as equipment
operating instructions and other recom-
mendations. Consult and follow all appli-
cable health and safety regulations (e.g.,
OSHA standards and rules).
6. Apparatus
6.1 Conventional laboratory drying
oven (see 13.1), uniformly heated and
controlled to ± 2°C. It should be provided
with ventilating ports and some means
for introducing moisture (see 13.2) or;
6.2 Steam ager (see 13.3) equipped
with proper controls for uniform steam
flow and temperature.
6.3 Tensile testing machine.
7. Sampling
7.1 Test results are valid only when the
samples are statistically representative
(see ASTM E1402).
7.2 Sampling must be random. Every
unit of product must have a mathemati-
cally equal chance of becoming a sample;
and every portion of each sample must be
equally likely to become a test specimen.
7.3 All specimens must be alike within
the variations due to pure chance. There
must be no differences within samples as-
signable to known causes.
8. Test Specimens
8.1 Sufficient samples are taken for
both control and test specimens. Tensile
specimens are prepped from control and
aged samples after conditioning (see
10.1).
9. Procedure
9.1 Oven Test, Option 1. Expose the
specimens to 135 ± 2°C heat in the oven
for 6 h continuously. At the beginning of
the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth
hours, close the ports or vents and add 20
mL of water for each 0.03 m3 (1.0 ft3) of
oven capacity. Keep vents closed for 5
min, then open and resume circulation for
the rest of the period. At the end of 6 h of
heating, remove the specimens from the
oven and place in a conditioning room.
9.1.1 Oven Test, Option 2. Expose the
specimens to 135 ± 2°C heat in the oven
for 6 h. Remove the test specimens from
the oven at the end of each hour and thor-
oughly humidify in an atmosphere of
steam, then replace in the oven. At the
end of 6 h of heating, remove the speci-
mens from the oven and place in a condi-
tioning room.
9.1.2 Oven Test, Option 3. Expose the
specimens to 135 ± 2°C heat in the oven
for 6 h continuously. At the beginning of
the test, introduce 100 mL of water for
each 0.03 m3 (1.0 ft3) of oven capacity us-
ing a vessel having a surface area of ap-
proximately 413 cm2 (64 in.2). Leave the
vents open during the entire test. At the
end of the 6 h of heating, remove the
specimens from the oven and place in a
conditioning room. Under the conditions
above, it has been found that the water
will require 1.75-2.0 h to evaporate.
9.2 Steam Ager Test. Suspend the test
specimens while ageing, or tack on
frames and place in the steam ager, pyra-
mid style, with the bottom baffle func-
tioning as a support. Age the specimens
for 8 h with saturated steam at 103 kPa
(15 psi) pressure, or for 16 h at 51.7 kPa
(7.5 psi) pressure. After the ageing test is
completed, remove the specimens from
the ager and place in a conditioning
room.
10. Evaluation
10.1 Condition test specimens and un-
aged controls for 16 h at standard condi-
tions, 65 ± 5% RH and 21 ± 2°C (70 ±
4°F), before performing breaking
strength tests. Perform testing under the
same standard conditions.
10.2 Determine the breaking strength
of the unaged control specimens. Since
comparative, but not absolute, results are
to be obtained, any suitable breaking
strength machine may be used which is
adaptable to breaking the specimens be-
ing tested. Perform a minimum of 10 sig-
nificant breaks and average the results.
10.3 Determine the breaking strength
of the aged specimens. Perform a mini-
mum of 10 significant breaks and average
the results.
10.4 Calculate percent loss (or gain) in
strength based on the unaged control
material.
11. Report
11.1 Describe or identify the sample
tested.
11.2 Report that the sample was tested
using AATCC TM26-2020.
11.3 Report the testing conditions:
11.3.1 Test procedure (oven test: Op-
tion 1, Option 2, Option 3, or steam ager
test).
11.3.2 Test conditions.
11.4 Report test method used for
breaking strength.
11.5 Report the test results:
11.5.1 Mean breaking strength and
standard deviation of unaged control
specimens.
11.5.2 Mean breaking strength and
standard deviation of aged test speci-
mens.
11.5.3 Percent loss (or gain) in strength
based on the unaged control material.
11.6 Describe any modification(s) of
the published method.
AATCC TM26-2020
Test Method for Ageing of Sulfur-Dyed Textiles: Accelerated
Copyright The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
Provided by Accuris under license with AATCC
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