An alliance between Renault and Nissan has developed a new standard for volatile organic compound (VOC) testing of the materials used in vehicle interiors, using the micro-scale chamber method.
Under everyday environmental conditions the trim materials used in vehicles, like plastics and polymers, textiles, foams, and adhesives can release substances that have the potential to affect the health of any occupants. For this reason, car manufacturers have decided to develop their own standards to check Vehicle Interior Air Quality (VIAQ).
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) Renault and Nissan have established a new standard, RNES-B-20116 (previously D493018 for Renault and M0402 for Nissan), for VOC and formaldehyde testing on materials. Samples were tested directly by GC-MS or HPLC, without sampling. Going forward, sampling will be done using a micro-scale chamber.
A sample of the test material is placed into a micro-scale chamber (different testing volumes are possible) so that only the emitting surface is exposed. VOC are swept onto a sorbent-packed tube in a flow of clean and humidified air at ambient (or more elevated) temperature. Then the tubes are analyzed using TD-GC-MS.
SGS owns several micro-scale chambers across its worldwide network – in France, Germany, India, China, Thailand, and South Korea – to enable compliance with this new standard, RNES-B-20116, and other standards like ISO12219-3, ISO16000-25, Jaguar TPJLR 52.104 and FCA CS-13398.
SGS in France is now approved to conduct testing against the RNES-B-20116 standard and can deliver Renault accredited testing reports.
In addition to this VOC testing on materials, SGS can also provide VOC testing on parts complying with:
and on vehicles complying with:
For enquiries, please contact:
Damien JOUY
Deputy Head of Unit
t: +335 57 97 02 33
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