UV & Chemical Exposure Testing
Strong-Ty® · Technical resources
Arkema and First Solar evaluated Nile Polymers’ 8-inch Kynar® PVDF ties against UV-grade nylon 6,6 and nylon 12.
UV, zinc chloride and environmental exposure
Xenon-arc testing combined light, 65 °C chamber temperature and water spray. Pretreatments included zinc chloride, representing galvanized-steel runoff, and site-treatment chemicals.
PVDF ties retained maximum tensile loads above 50 lb. Nylon 12 became too brittle to continue testing after 2,600 hours. Nylon 6,6 retained strength above 40 lb, but elongation fell to 5% of its initial value.
Chemical pre-soaking did not significantly affect retention in the untied test samples.
Heat, humidity and field results
PVDF ties were not significantly affected by thermal cycling, damp heat or humidity-freeze testing. Both nylons lost substantial elongation.
All 8,000 PVDF ties remained intact after 18 months at the solar installation; nylon 6,6 ties had failed within one year.
These results apply to the tested 8-inch ties. Zinc-chloride pretreatment was not a marine salt-fog test. Accelerated UV-dose equivalence is not a service-life guarantee.
Gamma sterilization test report · Back to Strong-Ty® cable ties