Dangerous Goods by Road
3 g of plasticized nitrocellulose, heated for one hour at 132 °C, shall not give off visible
yellowish-brown nitrous fumes (nitrous gases). The ignition temperature shall be above 170 °C. See
2.3.2.3 to 2.3.2.8, 2.3.2.9 (b) and 2.3.2.10 below.
The test procedures set out below are to be applied when differences of opinion arise as to the
acceptability of substances for carriage by road.
If other methods or test procedures are used to verify the conditions of stability prescribed above in
this section, those methods shall lead to the same findings as could be reached by the methods
specified below.
In carrying out the stability tests by heating described below, the temperature of the oven containing
the sample under test shall not deviate by more than 2 °C from the prescribed temperature; the
prescribed duration of a 30-minute or 60-minute test shall be observed to within two minutes. The
oven shall be such that the required temperature is restored not more than five minutes after insertion
of the sample.
Before undergoing the tests in 2.3.2.9 and 2.3.2.10, the samples shall be dried for not less
than 15 hours at the ambient temperature in a vacuum desiccator containing fused and granulated
calcium chloride, the sample substance being spread in a thin layer; for this purpose, substances which
are neither in powder form nor fibrous shall be ground, or grated, or cut into small pieces. The
pressure in the desiccator shall be brought below 6.5 kPa (0.065 bar).
Before being dried as prescribed in 2.3.2.6 above, substances conforming to 2.3.2.2 shall undergo
preliminary drying in a well-ventilated oven, with its temperature set at 70 °C, until the loss of mass
per quarter-hour is less than 0.3% of the original mass.
Weakly nitrated nitrocellulose conforming to 2.3.2.1 shall first undergo preliminary drying as
prescribed in 2.3.2.7 above; drying shall then be completed by keeping the nitrocellulose for at least
15 hours over concentrated sulphuric acid in a desiccator.
Test of chemical stability under heat
(a) Test of the substance listed in paragraph 2.3.2.1 above.
(i) In each of two glass test tubes having the following dimensions:
length 350 mm
internal diameter 16 mm
thickness of wall 1.5 mm
is placed 1 g of substance dried over calcium chloride (if necessary the drying shall be
carried out after reducing the substance to pieces weighing not more than 0.05 g each).
Both test tubes, completely covered with loose-fitting closures, are then so placed in an
oven that at least four-fifths of their length is visible, and are kept at a constant
temperature of 132 °C for 30 minutes. It is observed whether nitrous gases in the form
of yellowish-brown fumes clearly visible against a white background are given off
during this time;
(ii) In the absence of such fumes the substance is deemed to be stable;
(b) Test of plasticized nitrocellulose (see 2.3.2.2)
(i) 3 g of plasticized nitrocellulose are placed in glass test tubes, similar to those referred to
in (a), which are then placed in an oven kept at a constant temperature of 132 °C;
(ii) The test tubes containing the plasticized nitrocellulose are kept in the oven for one hour.
During this time no yellowish-brown nitrous fumes (nitrous gases) shall be visible.
Observation and appraisal as in (a).
Ignition temperature (see 2.3.2.1 and 2.3.2.2)
(a) The ignition temperature is determined by heating 0.2 g of substance enclosed in a glass test
tube immersed in a Wood's alloy bath. The test tube is placed in the bath when the latter has
reached 100 °C. The temperature of the bath is then progressively increased by 5 °C per
minute;
(b) The test tubes must have the following dimensions:
length 125 mm
internal diameter 15 mm
thickness of wall 0.5 mm
and shall be immersed to a depth of 20 mm;
(c) The test shall be repeated three times, the temperature at which ignition of the substance
occurs, i.e., slow or rapid combustion, deflagration or detonation, being noted each time;
(d) The lowest temperature recorded in the three tests is the ignition temperature.
Tests relating to flammable liquids of Classes 3, 6.1 and 8
Determination of flash-point
The following methods for determining the flash-point of flammable liquids may be used:
International standards:
ISO 1516 (Determination of flash/no flash – Closed cup equilibrium method)
ISO 1523 (Determination of flash point – Closed cup equilibrium method)
ISO 2719 (Determination of flash point – Pensky-Martens closed cup method)
ISO 13736 (Determination of flash point – Abel closed-cup method)
ISO 3679 (Determination of flash point – Rapid equilibrium closed cup method)
ISO 3680 (Determination of flash/no flash – Rapid equilibrium closed cup method)
National standards:
American Society for Testing Materials International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA 19428-2959:
ASTM D3828-07a, Standard Test Methods for Flash Point by Small Scale Closed-Cup Tester
ASTM D56-05, Standard Test Method for Flash Point by Tag Closed-Cup Tester
ASTM D3278-96(2004)e1, Standard Test Methods for Flash Point of Liquids by Small Scale Closed-
Cup Apparatus
ASTM D93-08, Standard Test Methods for Flash Point by Pensky-Martens Closed-Cup Tester
Association française de normalisation, AFNOR, 11, rue de Pressensé, F-93571 La Plaine Saint-
Denis Cedex:
French standard NF M 07 - 019
French standards NF M 07 - 011 / NF T 30 - 050 / NF T 66 - 009
French standard NF M 07 - 036
Deutsches Institut für Normung, Burggrafenstr. 6, D-10787 Berlin:
Standard DIN 51755 (flash-points below 65 °C)
State Committee of the Council of Ministers for Standardization, RUS-113813, GSP, Moscow, M-49
Leninsky Prospect, 9:
GOST 12.1.044-84
To determine the flash-point of paints, gums and similar viscous products containing solvents, only
apparatus and test methods suitable for determining the flash-point for viscous liquids shall be used, in
accordance with the following standards:
(a) International Standard ISO 3679: 1983;
(b) International Standard ISO 3680: 1983;
(c) International Standard ISO 1523: 1983;
(d) International standards EN ISO 13736 and EN ISO 2719, Method B.
The standards listed in 2.3.3.1.1 shall only be used for flash-point ranges which are specified therein.
The possibility of chemical reactions between the substance and the sample holder shall be considered
when selecting the standard to be used. The apparatus shall, as far as is consistent with safety, be
placed in a draught-free position. For safety, a method utilizing a small sample size, around 2 ml, shall
be used for organic peroxides and self-reactive substances (also known as "energetic" substances), or
for toxic substances.
When the flash-point, determined by a non-equilibrium method is found to be 23 ± 2 °C or 60 ± 2 °C,
it shall be confirmed for each temperature range by an equilibrium method.