(ECNS) -- China has led the development of a new international standard for pigment quality testing, which has been formally published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), according to media reports.
The standard, covering the "determination of oil absorption" for pigments and extender materials, introduces a new testing method aimed at improving consistency and reducing reliance on complex laboratory equipment.
Oil absorption is one of the most fundamental indicators of pigment quality. It is widely used in quality control, research and trade, with tens of millions of tests conducted worldwide each year.
The new standard proposes a "drop bottle" method that simplifies testing procedures and reduces dependence on fixed laboratory settings. It also standardizes key variables such as temperature, humidity, chemical reagents and instrument precision, helping to cut discrepancies in test results between laboratories by about 20%, according to the release.
Officials said the standard could also reduce waste in industries such as coatings and inks by minimizing formulation redundancies and variations in raw materials, with estimated annual savings of nearly 2 billion yuan ($293 million).
Experts from nearly 10 countries, including China, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and India, participated in drafting the standard.
(By Zhang Jiahao)
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