Interscience Fire Laboratory

Building 63
Haslar Marine Technology Park
Haslar Road, Gosport
Hampshire PO12 2AG
United Kingdom
Tel. : +44 (0) 20 8692 5050
Fax.: +44 (0) 20 8692 5155
Email: firetesting@intersciencecomms.co.uk

Test Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

AS/NZS 3837:1998
Method of test for heat and smoke release rates for materials and products
using an oxygen consumption calorimeter

Sponsored By

BIOCLAD LIMITED
Unit A1
Greengate
Harrogate
HG3 1GY

Registered Office: West Yard House, Guildford Grove, Greenwich, London SE10 8JT, UK Page 1 of 6
Email: firetesting@intersciencecomms.co.uk; Web: intersciencecomms.co.uk
Company Registration 1896939 VAT No. GB 407 519 5 54
 Test Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

AS/NZS 3837:1998
Method of test for heat and smoke release rates for materials and products
using an oxygen consumption calorimeter

Sponsored By

BIOCLAD LIMITED
Unit A1
Greengate
Harrogate
HG3 1GY

Purpose of Test

To determine the performance of a specimen of a polymeric sheet when it is subjected to

the conditions of test specified in AS/NZS 3837: 1998 Method of test for heat and smoke
release rates for materials and products using an oxygen consumption calorimeter and to
use the data to calculate values to determine the BGA Group Classification- according
to Specification A 2.4 of the Building Code of Australia.

Scope of Test

AS/NZS 3837: 1998 details a test procedure to determine the rate of heat release, smoke
production and mass loss. The heat release values are expressed on area bases and smoke
and mass loss values are expressed on mass bases.

Description of Test Specimen

The description of the product given below has been prepared from information provided
by the sponsor of the test. All values quoted are nominal, unless tolerances are given.

The specimens tested consisted of a 2.5mm thick white polymeric sheet referenced
“Bioclad 2.5mm antimicrobial extruded PVC sheet”.

The sponsor of the test did not supply further details relating to the composition of the
material that was tested.

The specimens were received on 19 September 2012.

Conditioning of Test Specimens

The test specimens were conditioned to constant mass at a temperature of 23 ± 2°C and a
relative humidity of 50 ± 5%.

Date of Test

The test was performed on 27 September 2012.

ICL Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1
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 Test Procedure

The test was performed in accordance with the procedure specified in AS/NZS 3837:1998
at 50kW/m2 and this report should be read in conjunction with that Standard.

Exposed Face

One face was exposed to the heating conditions 50kW/m2 of the test.

Test Results

The test results relate only to the behaviour of the specimens of the product under the
particular conditions of test; they are not intended to be the sole criterion for assessing the
potential fire hazard of the product in use.

The test results relate only to the specimens of the product in the form in which they were
tested. Small differences in the composition or thickness of the product may significantly
affect the performance during the test and may therefore invalidate the test results. Care
should be taken to ensure that any product, which is supplied or used, is fully represented
by the specimens, which were tested.

The test results are given in table below:

Parameter Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average

Specimen thickness (mm) 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
Specimen Initial mass (g) 34.74 34.74 34.15 34.5
Time to ignition (s) 118 116 129 121.0
Total heat release (MJ/m²) 22.0 20.89 19.52 20.8
Mass loss between Ign & Ext (g) 18.7 18.56 16.36 17.9
TSR (m²/m²) 2565.35 2640.16 2673.85 2626.5
pK HRR (kW/m2) 188.71 168.12 176.26 177.7
pk Effective heat of combustion (MJ/kg) 76.04 75.48 61.01 70.8
pK Specific ext area (m2/kg) 3607.74 2993.70 2761.86 3121.1
Average values HRR
over Ign 60 sec from ign 154.23 154.23 140.70 149.7
HRR (kW/m2) over Ign 120 sec from ign 152.80 147.23 136.96 145.7
HRR (kW/m2) over Ign 180 sec from ign 117.52 113.79 104.83 112.0
HRR (kW/m2) over Ign 300 sec from ign 76.91 74.79 71.52 74.4

ICL Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

Page 3 of 6
 Average values EHC (MJ/kg)
EHC (MJ/kg ) over Ign 60 sec from ign 7.47 6.55 6.55 6.9
EHC (MJ/kg ) over Ign 120 sec from ign 9.66 9.00 9.71 9.5
EHC (MJ/kg ) over Ign 180 sec from ign 10.69 10.07 10.72 10.5
EHC (MJ/kg ) over Ign 300 sec from ign 11.28 10.67 11.66 11.2
Average values Specific ext area (m2/kg)
SEA (m2/kg) over Ign 60 sec from ign 836.34 813.87 895.57 848.6
SEA (m2/kg) over Ign 120 sec from ign 985.15 1019.39 1098.30 1034.3
SEA (m2/kg) over Ign 180 sec from ign 957.14 999.90 1067.69 1008.2
SEA (m2/kg) over Ign 3000 sec from ign 926.21 966.67 1024.09 972.3

Conclusion

From the above results following the procedure specified in Building Code of Australia—
Volume One—SPECIFICATION A2.4 clause 3. Predicting a material's group number we
have determined that the material tested satisfy the criteria for Group 1.

Prepared by Approved by

C. B. Chong S. Kumar
Fire Scientist Technical Manager

Date of Issue: 15 November 2012.

Date of issue of Rev 1: 2 September 2013.

ICL Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

Page 4 of 6
 HRR v Time

200
160
HRR (KW/m 2)

120
80
40
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time(Sec)

EHC v Time

100
80
EHC(Mj/kg)

60
40
20
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time (Sec)

SEA v Time

4000

3000
SEA (m 2/kg)

2000

1000

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time(Sec)

ICL Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

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 TSR v Time

3000
2500
TSP (m²/m 2)

2000
1500
1000
500
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time(Sec)

RSR v Time

30
25
RSR ((m²/s)/m²)

20
15
10
5
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time (Sec)

THR v Time

45
40
35
THR(MJ/m²)

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time(Sec)

ICL Report No: ICL/H12/1630 Rev 1

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