International Photocatalyst Standards Test Centre

The International Photocatalyst Standards (IPS) test centre is an independent organisation which runs ISO standards for photocatalysts aimed at: (i) air purification, (ii) water purification, (iii) self-cleaning films, and (iv) light sources. IPS provides a confidential, independent assessment of the activity of any photocatalyst(s) according to the appropriate ISO standard. All activity assessments are carried out at an affordable rate and referenced to that of relevant commercial and/or in-house samples. IPS will advise which of the ISO tests are appropriate for a particular photocatalyst. Upon request IPS are also able to perform other assessment studies, such as recording activity vs. usage, and activity vs. weathering profiles.

See our range of purchasable inks and pens that allows a simple rapid self-assessment of the photo-catalytic activity of any material.

See Wikipedia for more options on assessing quality of photocatalytic materials.

Further Information

Under the illumination of ultraviolet (UV) light, photocatalysts show diverse functions, such as the decomposition of air and water contaminants, as well as deodorization, self-cleaning, antifogging and antibacterial actions. These functions of photocatalysts are generally based on the action of active oxygen species such as hydroxyl (OH) radicals formed on the surface of photocatalysts. The energy- and labour-saving nature of photocatalysis has attracted significant interest. Practical applications of photocatalysts, for both indoor and outdoor use, have rapidly expanded, with a number of notable products proposed or already commercialized, based on ceramics, glass, concrete, plastics, paper, textiles, etc. Such materials are produced by either coating or mixing of a photocatalyst, often TiO2.

Such new materials and diverse commercial products require standards by which their effectiveness can be gauged, compared and contrasted. However, the effect of photocatalysis is not easily assessed visually, and the above-mentioned diverse functions of photocatalysts cannot be evaluated with a single method. Thus, different evaluation methods have been defined by the international standards organisation (ISO) for self-cleaning, water decontamination, air purification and anti-bacterial actions.

ISO is the world’s leading developer and publisher of international standards, which are developed by technical committees, comprising national experts from those sectors that have asked for the standards. Standards help manufacturers develop and deliver products which have the defined characteristics desired by their customers, such as activity, robustness, appearance and low cost. Thus, for industry, standards ensure their products are widely accepted and competitive, whereas, for the consumer they ensure product quality and reliability.

IPS will advise on the most suitable ISO standard(s) for assessing any particular photocatalyst, and use them to evaluate the activity of the material(s) provided.

For further reading with regard the current range of ISO tests, it is recommended to read:
A. Mills, C. Hill, P.K.J. Robertson, Overview of the current ISO tests for photocatalytic materials, J. Photochem. Photobiol., A, 237 (2012) 7.