The softening point is the temperature at which a material softens beyond some arbitrary softness. It can be determined, for example, by the
Vicat method (ASTM-D1525 or ISO 306),
Heat Deflection Test (ASTM-D648) or a ring and ball method (ISO 4625 or ASTM E28-67/E28-99 or ASTM D36 or ASTM D6493 - 11 or JIS K 6863). A
ring and ball apparatus can also be used for the determination of softening point of bituminous materials.
See also
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Glass Transition Temperature
The glass–liquid transition, or glass transition, is the gradual and reversible transition in amorphous materials (or in amorphous regions within semicrystalline materials) from a hard and relatively brittle "glassy" state into a viscous or ru ...
References
Temperature
Polymer chemistry
Glass physics
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