Here the adhesive is applied under standard conditions to whatever test surface is felt appropriate. The test, usually adhesion or shear, is then carried out in the high temperature environment, after allowing sufficient time for the assembly to reach the test temperature before beginning the test. Visual examination for signs of cohesive failure is a necessary part of high temperature adhesion testing.
One method used to evaluate the upper working temperature of block copolymer systems is to measure the shear adhesion failure temperature (SAFT), a useful method to discover exactly what has been gained in the upper working temperature limits when resins are added to the styrene domain of polystyrene end-block systems to increase the effective glass transition temperature. Typically the test is set up as a standard shear test, either to the standard stainless steel panel or to polyester, with a 1 in. by 1 in. (25 mm by 25 mm) area and a load of 1 kg. The set-up is placed in an oven that can be accurately controlled so that the temperature is increased by 2.0°C (3.6°F) per minute, the temperature at which failure occurs being recorded as the SAFT.
The above tests are general in nature. Specific products may call for specific tests aimed at the needs of that market.