ISO 175:2010 specifies a method of exposing test specimens of plastic materials, free from all external restraint, to liquid chemicals, and methods for determining the changes in properties resulting from such immersion. It does not cover environmental stress cracking (ESC) which is dealt with by the various parts of ISO 22088.

It only considers testing by immersion of the entire surface of the test specimen.

It is applicable to all solid plastics that are available in the form of moulding or extrusion materials, plates, tubes, rods or sheets having a thickness greater than 0,1 mm. It is not applicable to cellular materials.