Modification of the NIST Test for Measurin the Ignition Propensity of Cigarettes

Abstract

The NIST method for measuring the ignition propensity (IP) of cigarettes on a test mockup meant to represent the flat surface of upholstered furniture was revised and tested [1]. The revisions included a number of dele tions and additions. The most important addition to the original test was the in clusion of selected, smolderable upholstery fabrics. The deletions were, in general, procedural details known or believed to be unnecessary. Three replicate runs of the method using the same experimental and control cigarette pair, as well as a series of runs using experimental and control cigarette pairs with deliv eries of 5, 11 and 16 mg of tar, were performed. The modified method provides re peatable and statistically valid data. Adding commercial, nonreversal upholstery fabrics to the test did not add to the ability of the test to measure IP behavior and, therefore, they were eliminated in the final proposed method. A reversal-type fabric should be included in the test, but it should be specially pro duced for this purpose [9]. With these further modifications, the test is consider ably simpler to perform than the original test.