This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: D5032 − 19

Standard Practice for

Maintaining Constant Relative Humidity by Means of
Aqueous Glycerin Solutions1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5032; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 2.2 Other Documents:

1.1 This practice describes a method for obtaining constant DIN50008 Constant Climates over Aqueous Solutions4
relative humidity ranging from 30 to 98 % at temperatures Part 1: Saturated Salt and Glycerol Solutions
ranging from 0 to 70°C in relatively small containers by means Part 2: Sulfuric Acid Solutions (1981)
of an aqueous glycerin solution. 3. Summary of Practice
1.2 This practice is applicable for closed systems such as 3.1 Controlled relative humidity environments are gener-
environmental conditioning containers. ated using mixtures of glycerin and water.
1.3 This practice is not recommended for the generation of 3.2 Practice E104 contains methods for maintaining con-
continuous (flowing) streams of constant humidity unless stant relative humidity environments using aqueous saturated
precautionary criteria are followed to ensure source stability. salt solutions or various strength sulfuric acid-water systems.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 4. Significance and Use
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 4.1 Controlled relative humidity environments are impor-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter- tant for conditioning materials for shelf-life studies or for
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. investigating the change in physical or dielectric properties
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor- after exposure.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard- 4.2 The use of aqueous-glycerin solutions reduces the pos-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the sibility of contamination of the materials or corrosion of
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- electrode systems which would be more likely to result from
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical saturated salt or acid water solutions.
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
4.3 Applicable material specifications shall state the expo-
2. Referenced Documents sure conditions, including time, temperature and relative hu-
midity that a material is to be subjected to before subsequent
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 testing. Typical conditions are given in Practice D618 or
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing D6054.
D6054 Practice for Conditioning Electrical Insulating Mate-
rials for Testing (Withdrawn 2012)3 5. Apparatus
E104 Practice for Maintaining Constant Relative Humidity 5.1 Container, airtight, of a material not acted upon by
by Means of Aqueous Solutions copper sulfate (or with the glycerin solution contained in a tray
made of a material not acted upon by copper sulfate).
1
5.2 Refract meter, covering the range of 1.33 to 1.47
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D09 on Electrical
and Electronic Insulating Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
(sodium) with an accuracy of 0.0003.
D09.12 on Electrical Tests.
Current edition approved March 1, 2019. Published March 2019. Originally 6. Glycerin Solution
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as D5032 – 11. DOI:
10.1520/D5032-19.
6.1 Use a good industrial grade of glycerin (“high gravity”
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or and “dynamite” grades have been found to be satisfactory) in
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
4
the ASTM website. Available from Deutsches Institut fur Normung, 4-10 Burggrenzenstrasse
3
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on Postfach 1107, D-1000 Berlin, Germany. Also available from American National
www.astm.org. Standards Institute, 25 W. 43rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036..

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

1
 D5032 − 19
distilled water. Calculate the concentration in terms of the Proper precaution must be taken to prevent the reduction of
refractive index, (R), at 25°C for the desired relative humidity humidity by a material being conditioned that will absorb a
at any temperature between 0 and 70°C as follows: large amount of water. If it is estimated that the reduction in
1 humidity will be greater than desired, one or both of the
R5 ~ =~ 1001A ! 1A
2 2
2 ~ H1A ! 2 2 A ! 715.3 11.3333 (1) following options must be done: Reduce the loading below that
suggested in 7.5 or increase the depth of the solution.
where:
T = temperature of the solution, °C, NOTE 2—For example, a loss of 0.26 mL water/in.3 of a glycerin-water
solution adjusted to produce a 96 % relative humidity at 25°C will reduce
A = 25.60 − 0.1950T + 0.0008T 2, and
the humidity by 0.5 % relative humidity.
H = relative humidity, percent.
6.1.1 This will give the desired relative humidity with an 7. Precautions
accuracy of 60.2 % at a constant temperature of 25°C. At other
constant temperatures, it is possible the error can increase with 7.1 Container:
the deviation of the temperature from 25°C. The relative 7.1.1 Make the container small so that the temperature
humidity values at 0, 25, 50, and 70°C for a number of throughout the container will be the same as that of the
refractive index values are given in Table 1. Obtain the solution. Keep the volume of the air space per unit area of
refractive index for intermediate values of relative humidity surface of solution low. Ten cubic inches or less per in.2 of
and temperature by plotting curves from the values in the table solution surface is advisable unless a larger volume is neces-
or by calculating from the above formula. sary because of the device to be conditioned.
6.2 To prevent fungus growth in the solution, add about 7.1.2 Although an airtight container is recommended, it is
0.1 % by weight of copper sulfate to the glycerin solution. The desirable to have a vent under certain conditions of test or with
most convenient way of measuring the copper sulfate is to some kinds of containers. (Changes in pressure can produce
prepare a saturated solution in water and add four drops of the undesirable cracks in some types of containers.) Make the vent
saturated solution per 100 mL of the glycerin solution. Use a as small as practical as there will be a continual loss of vapor
container, or tray holding the glycerin solution, made of a through the vent. Check the concentration of the solution
material that will not react with the copper in the copper periodically and adjust if necessary in this case.
sulfate. If the copper is removed, fungus growth can occur, 7.1.3 Make the surface creepage distance between the
which will cause lowering of the humidity value of the glycerin solution and the material being conditioned long enough to
solution. prevent the solution from creeping on to the material being
6.3 Loss of water through evaporation when the container is conditioned.
opened can reduce the humidity value of the solution. The rate 7.2 Temperature Fluctuations:
of loss with the container open is quite low and is negligible for 7.2.1 Avoid temperature fluctuations. Best results are ob-
the normal time the container would be opened for loading and tained in a controlled temperature room where the average
unloading (Note 1). temperature is constant and the fluctuations are of relatively
NOTE 1—A solution adjusted to produce a 96 % relative humidity short duration. Cover the container to shield from drafts. It is
atmosphere at 25°C in an open container, in a still atmosphere of 50 % possible drafts will cause temperature differences inside the
relative humidity at 25°C, will lose water at the rate of approximately container. Changing ambient temperature causes a temperature
0.01 mL ⁄h ⁄in.2 of solution surface area. This rate will reduce the relative
humidity value of a 96 % solution having a depth of 1 in. by 0.5 % relative difference between that of the solution and the air above it. As
humidity in 26 h. a rule, changes in the solution temperature lag behind that of
6.4 Loss of water by absorption by the material being the air in the container. This results in a low humidity with
conditioned, can reduce the humidity value of the solution. rising temperature and a high humidity with falling tempera-
ture.
TABLE 1 Relative Humidity Over Glycerin Solutions 7.2.2 If a controlled temperature room is not available, place
Refractive Relative Humidity, %
the container in a location having the minimum change in
Index temperature and thermally insulating the container with a
at 25°C 0°C 25°C 50°C 70°C
minimum of 1 in. of glass wool, or the equivalent. Reducing
1.3463 97.7 98.0 98.2 98.4 the volume of air space in the container per unit area of
1.3560 95.6 96.0 96.4 96.7
1.3602 94.5 95.0 95.5 95.8 solution surface will also reduce the effect of changing tem-
1.3773 89.2 90.0 90.7 91.2 perature.
1.3905 84.0 85.0 85.9 86.6
1.4015 78.8 80.0 81.1 81.8
7.2.3 A glass desiccator covered with a corrugated paper
1.4109 73.7 75.0 76.2 77.0 box will stand short time (30 min or less) fluctuations of
1.4191 68.6 70.0 71.3 72.2 temperature of 61°C without changing the relative humidity
1.4264 63.4 65.0 66.4 67.3
1.4329 58.4 60.0 61.4 62.5 over 60.1 %. Where larger fluctuations or long time fluctua-
1.4387 53.3 55.0 56.5 57.6 tions are encountered, thermally insulate the container. It is
1.4440 48.3 50.0 51.5 52.6 estimated that a thermally insulated container will withstand
1.4486 43.3 45.0 46.6 47.7
1.4529 38.3 40.0 41.6 42.7 fluctuations of temperature of 63°C without changing the
relative humidity over 60.1 %.

2
 D5032 − 19
7.2.4 A thick aluminum cover or base plate, or both, on the container in a chamber. Thermally insulate the container as
container will also effectively dampen temperature fluctua- described in 7.2 and adjust the chamber air circulation so as to
tions. have as nearly uniform temperature throughout the container as
7.3 Temperature Above Room Temperature—Operating at possible. Load the container by reducing the temperature of the
temperatures above room temperature is not as satisfactory as container below the conditioning temperature before loading.
operating at room temperature, because of the greater possi- 7.5 Loading—Do not overload the container as this will
bility of the air in the container not being equivalent to the decrease the rate of rise of the humidity in the container to such
solution temperature and not being the equivalent throughout an extent that an unreasonably long time is required for the
the container. However, with proper care, humidity at tempera- humidity to reach a steady state. The limit of loading cannot
tures above room temperature are attainable by heating the very well be specified as this depends upon the amount of
container in an oven. Thermally insulate the container as moisture the material will absorb and this will differ by
described in 7.2 and adjust the oven air circulation so as to material. As a general rule, make the overall area of the
have as nearly uniform temperature throughout the container as material less than the surface area of the solution.
possible. Load the container while at room temperature.
7.6 Opening of the Chamber During Test—Avoid opening
NOTE 3—For example, with a solution for a relative humidity of 96 %, the chamber during a test since the rate of establishing
a spot having a temperature 0.3°C higher than that of the solution would
have a relative humidity of 94 %, while that having a temperature 0.3°C equilibrium after reclosing the chamber is not known. Equilib-
lower would have a relative humidity of 98 %. rium in the chamber depends on the ratio of chamber volume
7.4 Temperatures Below Room Temperature—Operating at to solution surface area, type of material in the chamber,
temperatures below room temperature is not as satisfactory as amount of material in the chamber and temperature difference
operating at room temperature, because of the greater possi- between the solution and the chamber atmosphere.
bility of the air in the container not being equivalent to the
solution temperature and not being the equivalent throughout 8. Keywords
the container. However, with proper care, humidity at tempera- 8.1 aqueous glycerin solutions; conditioning; constant rela-
tures below room temperature are attainable by cooling the tive humidity; glycerin; relative humidity

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