Mouse over image for caption

Peter Hatto, Chairman of the UK’s European and international standardisation committees for nanotechnologies, and Stuart MacLachlan of the UK’s Materials Knowledge Transfer Network, discuss the latest on nanotechnology standardisation

Voluntary standards not only support existing businesses but assist new technologies and materials to market in an efficient, safe and reliable manner. They also play a critical role in facilitating product and market development and ensuring quality.

One exemplar of this is nanotechnologies, where the UK is playing a pivotal role in the development of the standards infrastructure. Following a proposal from the UK International Organisation for Standardisation Technical Committee (TC), a technical report, ISO/TR 11360:2010 has been published for the classification and categorisation of nanomaterials to offer a comprehensive methodology.

The ISO/TC 229 was established in June 2005 to develop standards for this rapidly growing area of technology. Since then, it has held 10 meetings, with the most recent in Maastricht, The Netherlands, in May 2010. The next meeting, being held in December in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will see the Committee’s 44 members develop its work programme of some 36 items in four areas – terminology and nomenclature; measurement and characterisation; environment, health and safety, and material specifications.

Challenges ahead

Unlike most other ISO Technical Committees, TC 229 does not focus on a particular product or sector but is developing ‘horizontal’ standards to provide foundational support across all sectors that use nanotechnologies or nanomaterials. At its inception, three areas were highlighted for support.

Firstly, the Committee recognises that, while nanotechnology is still very much in itsinfancy, there are a plethora of terms being used, often in different ways by the wide diversity of disciplines involved. Secondly, while a number of instruments and techniques are available for measuring and characterising nanomaterials and other products of nanotechnology, these often give conflicting or misleading results due to the absence of strict measurement and characterisation protocols and calibration artifacts. 

Finally, there is growing concern about possible health and environmental impacts of nanomaterials, particularly nano-particles and other ‘nano-objects'. Because of the interdependence of these three areas it was agreed they would be addressed in three separate working groups, rather than being dealt with in a semi-autonomous sub-committee structure.

The fourth working group, on materials specification, has been established following a survey of member’s needs, which identified the area as being critical to the development of applications for nanomaterials.

In addition, the Committee has Task Groups that are developing recommendations as to how it should address the areas of nano-technologies and sustainability, and consumer and societal dimensions of nanotechnologies.

Great minds

The TC also works closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission TC 113 (nanotechnology standardisation for electrical and electronic products and systems), in the areas of terminology and nomenclature (Joint Working Group 1) and measurement and characterisation (Joint Working Group 2). The two Technical Committees hold joint plenary meetings at least every two years. The TC 229 also works closely with the European Committee for Standardisation in the area (TC 352 Nanotechnologies, also chaired by the UK).

Liaisons have been established with 25 other ISO TC’s that will be impacted by nanotechnologies, and with several external bodies such as the EC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, the Asia Nano Forum and IUPAC.

The UK actively participates in the work of both ISO/TC 229 and CEN/TC 352, through the UK national nanotechnology standards technical committee, BSI/NTI/1. In addition to leading seven projects in TC 229 and two in TC 352, members of NTI/1 and other UK experts are participating in over 75% of the projects under development.

With the support of the UK Department of Business Innovation and Skills, BSI/NTI/1 has also been developing standards to support UK stakeholders. These include seven terminologies, and guidance on labelling of products containing nanomaterials, specifying nanomaterials, and safe handling and disposal of nanomaterials, all of which are available for free download from the BSI website (see www.bsigroup. com/nano). BSI has also just published PD 6699-3 - Guide to assessing airborne exposure in occupational settings relevant to nanomaterials.

Business opportunity

To further support UK companies, particularly SMEs, a publicly available specification (PAS) that gives guidance to legislation and standards relevant to nanotechnologies is in preparation and will be available by the middle of next year.

For a list of ISO documents published to date visit the TC 229 page on the ISO website at www.iso.org

Work in progress

The first two documents developed by the Committee were published in 2008 – ISO/TS 27687 Nanotechnologies – Terminology and definitions for nano-objects – nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate; and ISO/TR 12885 – Nanotechnologies – Health and safety practices in occupational settings relevant to nanotechnologies. A further five have been published since January this year. The number of published documents will increase by 10 – 15, over the next 12 months. Website: www.iso.org

Further information

www.bsigroup.com