LOI ( Limited Oxygen Index )
Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) fire test is perhaps the most economical and precise quality control test for combustible materials. Limited Oxygen Index (LOI) measures the minimum concentration of oxygen, expressed as a percentage that will support the combustion of polymers. Its ease of use together with high levels of precision has made this technique a primary characterization and quality control tool for the plastic materials and electric cable industries.
According to EN ISO 4589-2 standard
The limited oxygen index test is a commonly used method for assessing the flammability of materials. Samples of material are exposed to a flame within a chamber. The oxygen content within the controlled environment within the chamber can be varied to within 0.1%. Through an iterative method the maximum percentage of oxygen in the air at which the sample of material extinguishes is determined.
This percentage of oxygen can be used as an indication of how easily a material burns.
The higher the Limited Oxygen Index % value the less flammable a material is.
