The store will not work correctly when cookies are disabled.
Due to scheduled maintenance, select standards and products will be unavailable for purchase beginning Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 12:00 a.m. Eastern (GMT-5) ending Friday, December 12, 2025 at approximately 12:00 p.m. Eastern (GMT-5).
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) on ASTM standards and related intellectual property is prohibited. Violations will result in suspension of access.
Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) divers use different mixtures of nitrogen and oxygen as breathing gas. The socalled NITROX mixture often contains more oxygen than is contained in air and may increase the fire hazard in diving equipment. The SCUBA diving community, however, still differentiates between NITROX mixtures that contain more than 40 % oxygen or less. They consider a mixture with up to 40 % oxygen often as regular air. In filling operations of SCUBA cylinders, gas flows from high pressure to low pressure. Because of compressive heating, a sudden temperature rise in the gas occurs and nonmetallic materials, e.g., seals may ignite. BAM has used the pneumatic impact test to investigate the ignition sensitivity of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), fluorelastomer (FPM), polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and nylon (PA 6.6) to gaseous impacts in synthetic air, in various NITROX mixtures, and in pure oxygen. The test results clearly show that for nonmetallic materials, the maximum pressure of nonreaction in NITROX mixtures decreases at a content of 29 % oxygen in comparison to those in air. In addition, autoignition temperatures of the nonmetallic materials were also determined. The findings of this investigation support very well the results of other publications on oxygen enrichment. As a consequence of this study, in SCUBA diving, the same safety requirements for NITROX mixtures with more than 21 % oxygen should be applied as for pure oxygen in the industry.
Author Information
Binder, Chr.
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Brock, T.
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Hesse, O.
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Lehné, S.
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Tillack, T.
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Domestic orders are delivered via United Parcel Service (UPS) or United States Postal Service (USPS). Transit
times average 3 to 5 business days. Please be aware that UPS will not deliver packages to Post Office Boxes.
International orders are delivered via courier post services which can be either a postal service, courier
service, or a combination of both. Standard Service is untraceable. Please allow 4-7 weeks for delivery.
Please be aware that carriers will not deliver packages to Post Office Boxes. Because of the variability of
customs processes and procedures in different countries, ASTM International cannot guarantee transit times to
international destinations. Customs duty and taxes are the responsibility of the consignee.
Shipping & Handling charges follow the rate schedule, below:
Order Total
Shipping & Handling Fee (US Domestic)
Up to $50.00
$18.72
$50.01 to $100.00
$20.80
$100.01 to $150.00
$29.52
$150.01 to $250.00
$39.09
$250.01 to $500.00
$56.25
$500.01 to $750.00
$76.42
$750.01 to $1000.00
$93.15
$1000.01 to $1500.00
$121.27
$1500.01 to $2500.00
$158.38
$2500.01 to $4999.00
$209.04
$5000.00 to higher
FREE
Order Total
Shipping & Handling Fee (International)
Up to $50.00
$68.72
$50.01 to $100.00
$70.80
$100.01 to $150.00
$79.52
$150.01 to $250.00
$89.09
$250.01 to $500.00
$106.25
$500.01 to $750.00
$126.42
$750.01 to $1000.00
$143.15
$1000.01 to $1500.00
$171.27
$1500.01 to $2500.00
$208.38
$2500.01 to $4999.00
$259.04
$5000.00 to higher
FREE
Shipping and Handling charges are approximate. Additional charges may be incurred if your order requires multiple shipments. This does not apply to complete sets and sections.