Overview
EN ISO 15013:2022 - Plastics: Extruded sheets of polypropylene (PP) is the CEN-adopted version of ISO 15013:2022. It specifies requirements and test methods for solid, flat extruded polypropylene sheets - including PP homopolymers (PP‑H) and PP copolymers (PP‑B and PP‑R) - supplied in rolled form and having thicknesses from 0.5 mm to 40 mm. This third edition supersedes the 2007 edition and updates mechanical property limits and clause structure.
Key topics and requirements
The standard covers both product specification and laboratory verification. Major technical topics include:
- Material scope
- PP extrusion compounds without fillers or reinforcement; permitted additives such as stabilizers, impact modifiers and colorants.
- Appearance
- Acceptance criteria for bubbles, voids, surface defects and colour homogeneity; visual examination method.
- Dimensional tolerances
- Requirements and test procedures for thickness, length, width, rectangularity, and bow of sheets in rolled form.
- Mechanical and thermal properties
- Specified properties include tensile stress and tensile strain at yield, modulus of elasticity in tension, and Charpy impact strength (notched specimens).
- Rheological and thermal tests
- Melt mass‑flow rate (MFR) determination and heat resistance / shrinkage on heating assessments.
- Test methods and conditioning
- Preparation/conditioning of specimens and references to standardized test methods to ensure repeatability.
- Designation, ordering and marking
- Guidance for specifying material grade, dimensions and required properties for procurement and traceability.
Practical applications / Who uses this standard
EN ISO 15013:2022 is intended for professionals involved with polypropylene sheet production and procurement, including:
- Manufacturers and compounders - to set material and process controls for extruded PP sheets.
- Quality assurance and test laboratories - to perform required tests (tensile, Charpy, MFR, dimensional checks, heat resistance).
- Product designers and converters - who specify sheet properties for thermoforming, fabrication or end-use parts.
- Procurement/specifiers and regulators - to create clear purchase orders and ensure compliance with recognized test methods.
Key benefits include harmonized acceptance criteria, reproducible test procedures, and clearer designation/marking for supply-chain communication.
Related standards
EN ISO 15013:2022 references and aligns with several ISO test standards, for example:
Keywords: EN ISO 15013:2022, polypropylene sheets, PP extruded sheets, test methods, dimensional tolerances, melt mass‑flow rate, Charpy impact, heat resistance, PP‑H, PP‑B, PP‑R.
