1.1 This practice is for general use in gathering and reporting dynamic mechanical data. It incorporates laboratory practice for determining dynamic mechanical properties of specimens subjected to various oscillatory deformations on a variety of instruments of the type commonly called dynamic mechanical analyzers or dynamic thermomechanical analyzers.

1.2 This practice is intended to provide means of determining the transition temperatures, elastic, and loss moduli of plastics over a range of temperatures, frequencies, or time, by free vibration and resonant or nonresonant forced vibration techniques. Plots of elastic and loss moduli are indicative of the viscoelastic characteristics of a plastic. These moduli are functions of temperature or frequency in plastics, and change rapidly at particular temperatures or frequencies. The regions of rapid moduli change are normally referred to as transition regions.

1.3 The practice is primarily useful when conducted over a range of temperatures from -160°C to polymer degradation and is valid for frequencies from 0.01 to 1000 Hz.

1.4 This practice is intended for materials that have an elastic modulus in the range from 0.5 MPa to 100 GPa (73 psi to 1.5 x 10 ⁷ psi).

1.5 Apparent discrepancies may arise in results obtained under differing experimental conditions. Without changing the observed data, reporting in full (as described in this practice) the conditions under which the data were obtained will enable apparent differences observed in another study to be reconciled.

1.6 Test data obtained by this practice are relevant and appropriate for use in engineering design.

1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this practice to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazards statements are given in Section 8.

Note 1—This practice is technically equivalent to ISO 6721, Part 1.