Volatile organic chemical emissions from structural insulated panel (SIP) materials and implications for indoor air quality Page: 4 of 30

                                
manufacturers. The VOC content listed on the container labels was 260 - 282 grams per liter, or
approximately 20% by weight.
Preparation of Test Specimens
Test specimens were prepared in the laboratory upon receipt of the materials. First, 6.5- by
6.5-in (or 6- by 6-in) squares were cut from the SIPs at least 6-in away from the panel edges.
These were sliced through the centers of their polystyrene cores to produce pieces one-half the
thickness of the original panels. Boxes of stainless steel (SS) sheet metal were fabricated to
enclose five sides of each specimen and leave only the face surface exposed. Cut sheet metal
edges and the sheet metal box to material junction were carefully sealed with low-emitting
aluminum tape (ScotchTM Metal Repair Tape, 3M) leaving exposed surface areas of 0.0232 or
0.0195 m2. Two specimens were prepared from each manufacturer's panel. One specimen was
unfinished with the OSB surface exposed. The other specimen was covered with a 0.5-in thick
gypsum board panel. For the manufacturer A specimen, the gypsum board panel was unpainted.
For the manufacturer B specimen, the gypsum board panel had been painted previously with two
coats of interior flat wall paint.
The polystyrene specimen was similarly prepared. A 6- by 6-in square piece was cut from
the center of a supplied block. This was sliced through its center to produce a section one-half
the thickness of the original and encased in a SS sheet metal box, leaving an exposed polystyrene
surface area of 0.0195 m2
A 6- by 6-in piece of OSB was cut from the center of a supplied piece. This was backed by
SS sheet metal and its edges were sealed with aluminum tape so that only 0.0195 m2 of the OSB
face was exposed. A bead of panel adhesive approximately 0.25-in in diameter was applied with
a caulking gun to a metal channel 0.25-in wide, 0.125-in high and 6-in long. The channel was
weighed prior to and immediately following application to obtain the mass of wet adhesive.
The parameters for the study material specimens are given in Table 1.
Testing of Specimens for VOC Emissions
The emissions of VOCs and aldehydes from the test specimens were determined following
the guidance of ASTM D-5116-97 (ASTM, 1997a). Immediately following preparation, a test
specimen was transferred to a 10.5-L cylindrical chamber constructed of polished 316 stainless

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