Overview
EN ISO 18451-1:2019 / ISO 18451-1:2019 is a CEN-endorsed terminology standard that defines general terms used in the field of pigments, dyestuffs and extenders. Part 1 of the ISO 18451 series provides authoritative, industry-aligned definitions for colourants and related material properties used across paints, coatings, plastics, ceramics, inks and rubber industries. The document harmonises terminology (e.g., colour, colour difference, dispersibility, binder demand) and clarifies usage where terms overlap with other standards.
Key topics and technical scope
- Terminology focus: Provides clear definitions for general terms used for pigments, dyestuffs (soluble colourants), extenders/fillers and related material characteristics.
- Representative entries: Includes terms such as abrasiveness, aluminium pigment, barite, bismuth vanadate pigment, carbon black, colourant, colour, colour difference, binder demand, dispersibility and dispersing.
- Nanomaterials: Adds terms for nanomaterial, engineered/manufactured/incidental nanomaterial and notes on nanoextenders.
- Alignment with other standards: References and aligns specific definitions with ISO 4618 (colourant terms for coatings), ISO 18314-4 (colour difference), ISO 11664 series, ISO 3262-1 and relevant DIN/ISO documents.
- Normative structure: The document is descriptive - it contains no normative references (Section 2) and serves to standardize language rather than specify test methods or performance limits.
- Updates: The 2019 edition supersedes the 2017 version and includes editorial revisions and definition realignments to reflect practical usage (e.g., mass tone / full shade interchange).
Practical applications
This terminology standard is useful for:
- Manufacturers and formulators of paints, coatings, plastics, inks and ceramics who need consistent product descriptions and specifications.
- Laboratories and quality-control teams ensuring clear reporting of material properties (e.g., dispersibility, colour strength, binder demand).
- Procurement and regulatory professionals writing contracts, safety data sheets and compliance documents where precise terms reduce ambiguity.
- Standardization committees, researchers and educators who require harmonized vocabularies for documentation, training and cross-industry communication.
Related standards
- ISO 4618 - Colourants for coating materials (cross-referenced for coating-related terms).
- ISO 18314-4 / ISO 11664-4 / ISO/CIE 11664-5 - Colour and colour-difference definitions and measurement.
- ISO 3262-1, ISO 787-25, DIN 6176 - Definitions and practices referenced for alignment.
- Series: ISO 18451 (other parts addressing specific terminology subsets).
By standardizing vocabulary for pigments, dyestuffs and extenders, EN ISO 18451-1:2019 improves clarity across specification, testing and regulatory workflows in the global colourant and coatings sectors. Keywords: pigments, dyestuffs, extenders, terminology, ISO 18451-1, colourant, dispersibility, colour difference.
