Abstract
In November 2015, an article by A. J. Lecloux was published in this journal (J Nanopart Res, 17:447, 2015). The article focused on the use of volume-specific surface area (VSSA) for the implementation of the European Commission’s recommended definition of “nanomaterial”. In that paper, VSSA values were calculated for polydisperse particulate materials using a particle number-based averaging method which do not agree with earlier results of VSSA simulations of polydisperse materials reported in 2014 by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC). In this contribution, we explain the difference between traditional view of VSSA which was used by the JRC and the proposed model of Lecloux. Through the use of some simple examples for polydisperse materials, it is demonstrated that the latter produces values which neither correspond to the generally accepted definition of VSSA nor relate to the commonly used experimental methods for determining VSSA using gas adsorption. Lecloux’s model therefore does not constitute a basis for practical implementation of the EC’s definition of nanomaterial using gas adsorption techniques.
Highlights
Introduction and backgroundThe EC Recommendation for a definition of ‘‘nanomaterial’’In 2011, a definition of the term ‘‘nanomaterial’’ was adopted by the European Commission (EC)
He states for example: ‘‘As a results, it appears that any combination of at least 50 % in number of a lognormal distribution characterised by a l value less than 50 nm with any other lognormal distribution characterised by a l value higher than 100 nm will lead to a volume-specific surface area (VSSA) value higher than the threshold, even if there is less than 50 % number of nanoparticle in the total sample’’
In contrast with the claims made by Lecloux in his article regarding the earlier work of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the arguments and examples presented above illustrate the validity of the approach used by JRC to calculate VSSA according to its generally accepted definition and as measured by the most common experimental method
Summary
J. Lecloux (J Nanopart Res (2015) 17:447) regarding the use of volume-specific surface area (VSSA) to classify nanomaterials. Received: 24 May 2016 / Accepted: 7 July 2016 / Published online: 23 August 2016 Ó The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
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