Usefulness of Accelerated Test Methods for Sealant Weathering

Sealant test samples were exposed to accelerated and outdoor weathering to determine the usefulness of accelerated weathering test methods in predicting material degradation. One formula from seven different generic sealant types were exposed to three different outdoor environments for two years. Identical samples were exposed to three different accelerated test methods for 2000 hours. The degradation from outdoor exposure in terms of appearance, cracking, and change in hardness was duplicated in each case by at least one of the accelerated test methods.