Alternate Substrates for Measuring Cigarette Ignition Propensity Using ASTM E 2187

Published

August 11, 2016

Author(s)

Richard G. Gann, Edward J. Hnetkovsky, William F. Guthrie

Abstract

ASTM E 2187 has become the internationally referenced standard for designing and specifying less fire-prone cigarettes. In this Standard, a lit cigarette is placed on a substrate consisting of a number of layers of filter paper. The metric is whether the cigarette burns its full length or not. Forty determinations are performed, and the test result is the percentage of full-length burns. Recently, two different considerations have stimulated investigation of additional substrates for measuring cigarette ignition propensity. The first led to an interlaboratory evaluation of different types of filter paper to determine the extent to which the test results were similar for various cigarette designs. The second involved the development of an alternate substrate that could be used to measure the ignition propensity of conventional (high ignition propensity) cigarettes. The latter was then used to develop an ignition propensity criterion for a standard cigarette for testing the ignition resistance of common furnishings as required in multiple U.S. regulations.

Proceedings Title

Interflam Conference | 2010 |

Conference Dates

July 5-7, 2010

Conference Location

Nottingham

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1874

Keywords

ASTM E 2187, cigarette, cigarette ignition resistance, filter paper, fire, fire safety, fire test, less fire-prone cigarettes, reduced ignition propensity cigarettes

Citation

Gann, R. , Hnetkovsky, E. and Guthrie, W. (2016), Alternate Substrates for Measuring Cigarette Ignition Propensity Using ASTM E 2187, Interflam Conference | 2010 |, Nottingham, -1, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1874 (Accessed October 24, 2025)