| Abstract | The November 2016 ACS Nano editorial entitled “Standardizing Nanomaterials” highlighted the need for standardization and called for minimum material characterization requirements in nanotechnology-related research. We strongly support this call as it is aligned with existing efforts to develop documentary standards in nanotechnology. International documentary standards are essential not only for academia as highlighted but also for industry, regulators, governments, and nongovernmental organizations. We encourage all researchers to contribute to standardization efforts. The use of standards provides validation and increased confidence in an academic publication or a commercial innovation, enabling comparability between laboratories and ensuring that data are defendable.
The fact that the editorial did not reference the substantial body of work produced by international, consensus-based, standards development organizations was a wake-up call for us. It is clear that we, and the standardization organizations we represent, have to invest more time and energy into disseminating our activities and outputs especially to academia, and this is the main reason for this response that was submitted back in 2017 and is published now. |
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