A major standard for nano-objects
The new voluntary standard XP ISO/TS 21357, published in the AFNOR collection, proposes a reference protocol for measuring the dispersion of nanoparticles in a finished product. Based on French technology.
We hear a lot about nanoparticles, in every field. From pharmaceuticals to food and electronics, these substances impart new properties to products, making them lighter, stronger, more energy-efficient and more. And all this with a size that doesn’t exceed a millionth of a millimetre. In other words, selecting them, evaluating their action and arranging them in the finished product requires state-of-the-art methods and technology!
A new voluntary standard has come to the rescue of those looking for a universal instruction manual: XP ISO/TS 21357, available here in the AFNOR collection. The XP prefix indicates that this is an experimental standard for the time being; the ISO prefix indicates that this is an international standard: it will be used as a reference throughout the world. It validates DSML technology, for “static multiple light scattering”.
This process enables us to analyze the size of nano-objects and their dispersion in solutions, in their native state, by ignoring the aggregation or agglomeration phenomena that occur during preparation of the sample to be measured.
XP ISO/TS 21357: staying true to the starting mix
Giovanni Brambilla (©Formulaction/Master Films/P. Pigeyre)
These phenomena, caused by drying, for example, end up modifying the distribution of nano-objects in relation to the initial situation, and distort the photograph taken in the native state. The technique in question avoids distorting this native, pre-manipulation state. This means wasting time restoring the original formulation, so that the nanoparticles can produce their full effect. Giovanni Brambilla, who helped develop the standard on behalf of the French company Formulaction, draws a parallel with paint: “Paint is made up of pigments placed in a diluting liquid. If the pigments don’t disperse properly, or if they agglomerate, the paint won’t have satisfactory coverage, and the color won’t be the same. In short, the product will not be what the manufacturer originally intended,” he explains.
This standard was requested by industry and the research community. From pharmacology to electronics, it will democratize sample non-denaturation during testing. This new approach will benefit everyone, right up to the end consumer. “The standard will save users time, and prevent them from becoming experts in nanoparticle dispersion. The fewer questions they’ll have to ask, the sooner they’ll be able to bring their projects to fruition”, concludes Giovanni Brambilla. Interested? Join us on June 2, 2022 at 9 a.m. for an AFNOR webinar on the subject.
