
DIN 53122-1: Testing the Water Vapor Permeability of Materials
The DIN 53122-1 standard specifies procedures for determining the water vapor permeability of materials. This standard is particularly important in the packaging and construction industries to ensure that materials provide the desired protection against moisture and act as effective barriers. Compliance with the DIN 53122-1 standard ensures that manufacturers meet the required benchmarks for water vapor permeability, making their products suitable for specific applications.
Main Testing Methods in DIN 53122-1
The DIN 53122-1 standard outlines various methods for measuring water vapor permeability:
Gravimetric Method
This method uses weight measurement to capture the amount of water vapor passing through a material under controlled conditions, providing accurate data on permeability.
Controlled Airflow Method
This method uses a regulated airflow to accelerate water vapor transmission, ideal for materials with higher moisture resistance.
Surface Evaluation Method
This method assesses a material’s surface for moisture resistance, suitable for materials used in high-humidity environments.
Application Areas of the DIN 53122-1 Standard
The DIN 53122-1 standard is applied across various sectors to ensure effective moisture control properties in materials:
Packaging Materials
The standard is crucial for packaging that needs to repel moisture to preserve product quality, especially in food and pharmaceutical products.
Construction Materials
Construction materials used in moisture-prone areas must effectively regulate water vapor to prevent mold growth and ensure structural integrity.
Protective Clothing and Textiles
For textiles and protective clothing, compliance with DIN 53122-1 is important to enhance wearer comfort through moisture regulation.
DIN 53122-1-Certified Machines
Here are five machines compliant with the DIN 53122-1 standard, suitable for testing water vapor permeability:
- With GraviTest the determination of water vapour transmission rates of polymeric films and other sheet materials by gravimetric method becomes mere child’s play.
- The new Automatic Gravimetric WVTR Tester GINTRONIC GraviTest 6250 comes with a 0.01mg balance as a standard feature. The 0.01 mg balance makes WVTR measurements of low perm materials 2-3 times faster than the previous generation systems.
- The same instrument like GINTRONIC GraviTest 6300/6400, but with 10 sample places with 30cm2 / 28,3cm2. Conforms to ASTM E96, JIS L1099 A1+A2 and many others.
- The same instrument like GINTRONIC GraviTest 6300/6400, but also for samples with a thickness up to 50mm.