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COMPRESSION FORCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Both accelerated weathering tests and
mechanical property evaluations have confirmed the superb quality
and product integrity of the "multi-polymer" thermally fused gutter
filtration system supplied by Leaf DefierŪ This patent
pending/proprietary technology has been tested by an independent
quality assurance laboratory and the results detail the value added
nature of this innovative product for the gutter protection
industry.
After testing at 1000 hours and 4500 hours
(equivalent to 5 years exposure) of Xenon light chamber exposure,
the "multi-Polymer" fusion coated material (TYPE 1 [Leaf DefierŪ])
retained more than 60 % of its original strength and integrity. The
"chemically coated" product (TYPE 2) tested in the same chamber in
side by side comparison tests, retained only 35 % of its structural
integrity. The "untreated" (TYPE 3 & 4) urethane filtration
media (also tested in side by side comparison) retained only 18 %
and 23 % of their inherent strength from the first stress point of
1000 hours.
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In short the force needed
to deflect the XENON exposed "multi-polymer" fusion coated product
(TYPE 1 [Leaf DefierŪ]) by 50 % after 4500 hours of exposure
(equivalent to five years UV exposure) was 28.44 % of the force
needed to deflect the unexposed material. All other materials show
significantly inferior performance at the maximum exposure time of
4500 hours.
SURFACE DEGRADATION
CHARACTERISTICS
In all polymer plastics and coated
materials the "surface erosion and degradation" over time is a very
debilitating parameter for the polymer matrix and its ability to
function properly. The Ultraviolet light from the sun and severe
weathering conditions have the most pronounced effect at the surface
of the polymer matrix where in fact the true protection the plastic
provides is compromised. As a result the long term protection that
the polymer provides is most critical at this surface where the
material is exposed to the elements of nature and subject to reduced
performance over time.
After the XENON arc chamber study was
completed, all four materials were brushed to remove any loose or
flaking polymer on the surface exposed in the weathering chamber to
the UV simulated light. This is the critical surface in terms of
performance, as any failure due to UV exposure and severe weather
conditions will be most apparent on this Xenon exposed surface of
the material. As this surface slowly degrades with exposure to the
elements the inherent protection of the material becomes less
effective and the product will fail to provide the long-term
integrity that is required for gutter protection systems. As we can
see here the sample heights before and after exposure in the
weathering chamber certainly give a clearer picture of the higher
value provided by the "multi-polymer" fusion coated product (TYPE 1
[Leaf DefierŪ]). After the materials were taken from the test
chamber and brushed, the sample heights were then measured to one
thousandth of an inch with the following results
noted:
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As the above table
indicates, the % loss or exposed surface degradation was minimal
with the TYPE 1 (Leaf DefierŪ)"multi-polymer" fusion coated product
available from Leaf DefierŪ. The surface degradation with this
"multi-polymer" material is LESS THAN one tenth of 1 % as compared
to significant losses in surface character with the other materials
tested.
With this type of long term resistance to surface
degradation and product erosion we can see why the "multi-polymer"
gutter protection material from Leaf DefierŪ performed so well in
both the UV stability/weathering and mechanical properties testing
of this independent study. This patent pending/proprietary
technology of Leaf DefierŪ has provided the gutter protection
marketplace with a thermally fused composite that is a significant
value added material for this industry.
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Testing Parameters and
Protocol
Leaf DefierŪ has employed an outside testing
facility that specializes in cellular plastics performance testing.
They exposed our Patent Pending / Proprietary Leaf DefierŪ Materials
in a Xenon (IR/UV) GUV (UV) 4500 hour testing process, simulating
five (5) years of all possible weather conditions including, but not
limited to, ultraviolet and infrared radiation, salt/fog spray for
corrosion, high/low humidity, chemical fog, fine-to-course
particulate exposure, freeze/thaw and fine mist to water
spray/immersion.
This accelerated laboratory exposure program
uses state of the art weathering equipment Xenon (IR/UV) GUV (UV) as
follows:
- The testing procedure was an eight month process where
materials were tested for physical characteristics at 0(baseline),
1000, 2200 and 4500 hours.
- At each hour mark, product was removed and tested for, but not
limited to, tensile strength, tear strength, elongation, density,
compression force deflection, surface degradation etc.
- That information is then recorded and compared to the
non-exposed foam specifications in order to get a better idea of
the endurance and degradation of the product over a simulated
time.
This testing was done in accordance to ASTM G 26-96,
ASTM 155-A testing methods common to exterior plastics for building
materials.
FIRE TEST CHARACTERISTICS
In
addition to the weathering tests, this "multi polymer" thermally
fused material was subjected to both UL-94 H testing protocol and
the standard 84 Methenamine Pill Test in our laboratory at Leaf
DefierŪ. The fused material was successful in passing both tests.
The photographs below show the startling results of the more severe
Methenamine Pill Test, where the test samples were cut from the same
block of foam and one 10 X 10 X 3.25 inch sample was treated with
the thermally fused post cure protection and the other sample was
left untreated.
As noted in the photographs, the untreated
sample burned completely through the foam block, while the thermally
fused material was essentially unaffected by the ignition of the
Methenamine Pill. This kind of performance certainly sets the "multi
polymer" thermally fused material at a very high value added level
versus the other cellular gutter protection systems currently
available to the industry.
In the pill test Lily tablets (#
1588) were used to test two samples that were of equal volume. The
thermally fused material after a one-minute burn time showed a 1cm
depression at the pill contact site with an outside diameter of 2.5
cm.
The uncoated "raw" sample was completely burned through
the entire block (8 cm thick) in less than 30 seconds. The burn
radius was in excess of 16 cm on the surface of the sample. The
Methenamine Pill has a flash point temperature of 250 degrees
Centigrade or 482 degrees Fahrenheit, which would substantially
exceed any temperature that would come in contact with the thermally
fused gutter protection surface from chimney embers or wood burning
stove exhaust. In short, the fused polymer material provides a
substantial level of protection for almost any gutter
system.
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