Overview
ISO/TS 80004-3:2010 (Nanotechnologies - Vocabulary - Part 3: Carbon nano-objects) is a Technical Specification published by ISO in collaboration with IEC. It provides standardized terms and definitions for carbon-based nanoscale materials to ensure consistent communication across industry, research, regulation and supply chains. The document defines the nanoscale (approximately 1 nm to 100 nm) and classifies common carbon nano-objects such as fullerenes, graphene, carbon nanotubes and related structures.
Key Topics
- Basic nanoscale concepts: definitions for nanoscale, nano-object, nanoparticle, nanoplate and nanofibre.
- Carbon-specific building blocks: clear definitions of graphene and graphite as foundational materials.
- Carbon nanoparticles: terminology for fullerenes, fullerene derivatives, endohedral/fullerenes and carbon nano-onions.
- Carbon nanofibres and nanoplates: terms for carbon nanofibre (CNF), graphitic nanofibre, nanoribbon, and variants such as nanohorns and nanopeapods.
- Carbon nanotube taxonomy: standardized names and short forms for carbon nanotube (CNT) types - single-wall (SWCNT), double-wall (DWCNT) and multi-wall (MWCNT) - plus chiral vector and cup-stack descriptions.
- Related materials (Annex A): guidance on how diamond nanoparticles, carbon films (DLC, glassy carbon) and carbon black relate to the vocabulary.
Note: as a vocabulary/TS, the specification does not set performance limits or test methods - its requirement is consistent term usage.
Applications and Who Uses It
- Standards developers and committees aligning terminology across documents and test methods.
- Materials manufacturers and suppliers who need unambiguous product descriptions for datasheets and safety data sheets.
- Researchers and academics ensuring consistent language in publications and patent applications.
- Regulators, health & safety professionals and labs applying consistent definitions when assessing exposure, labeling or compliance.
- Product designers and OEMs using carbon nanomaterials in composites, electronics, coatings or biomedical components.
Using ISO/TS 80004-3 helps reduce ambiguity in specifications, procurement, safety documentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Related Standards
- ISO/TS 27687 (Nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate terminology) - referenced foundational terms.
- Other parts of the ISO/TS 80004 series (Core terms; Nanostructured materials; etc.).
- Complementary references: BS PAS 134 (carbon nanostructure terminology), ASTM E2456 (nanotechnology terminology) and the IUPAC Gold Book.
Keywords: ISO/TS 80004-3:2010, ISO TS 80004-3, carbon nano-objects, nanotechnologies vocabulary, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, nanoparticle, nanofibre.
