Overview
ISO/TS 22298:2024 - Nanotechnologies - Silica nanomaterials - Specification of characteristics and measurement methods for silica with ordered nanopore array (SONA) provides a technical specification for characterizing SONA powders. The document defines essential and optional physical and chemical characteristics to be measured, and specifies industrially available measurement methods to support research, development and commercialization of SONA. The standard excludes silica-gel, fumed silica and chemically modified SONA. Typical pore sizes for SONA range from about 1 nm to several tens of nanometres.
Key topics and requirements
- Essential characteristics required for SONA test reports:
- Chemical composition content (SiO2 and minor components) - measured by ICP, AAS, XRF, SEM/EDX or EPMA.
- Pore size, pore size distribution, specific pore volume - measured by gas adsorption methods (pore size calculated via the BJH approach as per ISO 15901‑2).
- Specific surface area - gas adsorption procedures (BET method; ISO 18757 referenced).
- Type of ordered nanopore array - identified by XRD (low-angle features indicate ordered arrays).
- Moisture content - determined by oven drying and weighing (ISO 638‑1).
- Optional characteristics:
- Hydrate content (TGA), stability against humidity (gas adsorption), morphology and particle size (SEM, TEM or AFM).
- Measurement and reporting guidance:
- Results should be expressed in standardized units (e.g., nm for pore size, mass fraction % for composition).
- Pore size distribution is reported using the main peak FWHM (full width at half maximum) to indicate uniformity.
- Measurements are expected under normal laboratory temperature/humidity; test-report content is specified.
Applications and who uses this standard
ISO/TS 22298:2024 is designed for stakeholders working with ordered nanopore silica materials, including:
- Materials scientists and researchers developing SONA structures and formulations.
- Manufacturers and quality-control laboratories producing SONA powders for catalysts, adsorbents, molecular sieves and drug-delivery carriers.
- R&D teams in electronics, optics, energy-storage and biomedical fields evaluating SONA performance.
- Procurement and regulatory professionals comparing materials using standardized test reports.
The standard enables consistent characterization that helps select SONA tailored for adsorption, catalysis, separation, sensing and energy applications.
Related standards
- ISO 15901‑2 - gas adsorption methods for pore characterization (referenced for pore size and distribution).
- ISO 18757 - specific surface area (gas adsorption, BET).
- ISO 638‑1 - moisture content (oven drying).
- ISO/TS 80004‑6, ISO 80004‑1 - terminology for nanotechnologies.
Using ISO/TS 22298:2024 alongside these standards ensures robust, comparable characterization of silica nanomaterials with ordered nanopore arrays (SONA).
