It is vital in manufacturing that materials live up to expectations. They are the foundation of all great products, whether they will be used in a child's toy or to hold up a motorway. It is also important that materials keep up with changing demands and product innovations, by constantly undergoing development themselves.

Advanced materials are expected to play a prominent part in the future of many industries, ranging from automotive, aerospace, the built environment and marine, to health.

Lighter materials should reduce fuel consumption and emissions in the transport industry, construction materials are expected to be relatively low maintenance, whilst sensors could be incorporated into textiles to monitor the physical conditions of the wearer.

BSI is actively engaging with producers and users of advanced materials to ensure the standards are created which will help facilitate the uptake of these new materials by industry.

Composites: A UK Standards Strategy for the Uptake of Light-weight Materials by the Transport Industry

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, BEIS, has funded BSI to investigate where standards and standards-related activity could help enable the uptake of lightweight materials, namely composites, in the transport industry.

Put very simply, a composite is a material made from two or more different materials that, when combined, are stronger than its individual components. They are an important and growing area in all sectors of manufacturing.

Standards development is already active in the area, for example, the work of committees PRI/42 (Fibre-reinforced thermosetting plastics and prepregs) and RPI/13 (Advanced technical ceramics) is of particular relevance. Standards development and their adoption are key in building confidence and overcoming some of the barriers the industry faces and we have made key recommendations for standards development to support the uptake of composite materials in the automotive, aerospace, rail and marine industry.

There are several standards already published that are relevant to the area of composite materials. These include:

• BS ISO 10122:2014 Reinforcement materials. Tubular braided sleeves. Basis for a specification

• BS ISO 10119:2020 Carbon fibre. Determination of density

• BS ISO 15100:2000 Plastics. Reinforcement fibres. Chopped strands. Determination of bulk density

To learn about the use of composites in the automotive industry, click here.

Transitioning the use of Graphene from a Laboratory Scale to Industrial Use

Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. It is one million times thinner than paper; so thin that it is actually considered two dimensional and its flat honeycomb pattern grants it many unusual characteristics, including the status of the strongest material in the world.

In 2017 BSI, supported by BEIS, started a programme to conduct research into how standards can help UK innovators accelerate the rate of commercialization of graphene applications. Key deliverables include the development of a UK graphene standards strategy and the delivery of collaborative projects with China, a key UK trading partner. This programme of work will help lay the foundations for the development of an international market for graphene.

Recognising the need to develop a standard for graphene PAS 1201 Properties of graphene flakes – Guide has been launched. This PAS provides guidance on information to be provided by manufacturers and suppliers of graphene flakes to enable users to compare the basic properties of graphene flake materials from different manufacturers who might use different precursors, manufacturing routes and post-treatments.

Other published standards that are relevant to the area of graphene include:

• PD ISO/TS 21356-1:2021 Nanotechnologies. Structural characterization of graphene. Graphene from powders and dispersions

• PD ISO/TR 19733:2019 Nanotechnologies. Matrix of properties and measurement techniques for graphene and related two-dimensional (2D) materials

As the use of advanced materials continues to increase rapidly in manufacturing, accessing the standards your business needs to adapt to these innovations does not have to be complicated and time-consuming. Our tailored BSI Knowledge subscription service provides flexibility, access, visibility and control over the standards and insights your team needs to adopt emerging best practices. Request to learn more.

Ensure your manufacturing organization is at the forefront of advanced material development and/or adoption by adding these key standards to your collection today.