A Definition and Categorization System for Advanced Materials: The Foundation for Risk‐Informed Environmental Health and Safety Testing

Abstract

Novel materials with unique or enhanced properties relative to conventional materials are being developed at an increasing rate. These materials are often referred to as advanced materials (AdMs) and they enable technological innovations that can benefit society. Despite their benefits, however, the unique characteristics of many AdMs, including many nanomaterials, are poorly understood and may pose environmental safety and occupational health (ESOH) risks that are not readily determined by traditional risk assessment methods. To assess these risks while keeping up with the pace of development, technology developers and risk assessors frequently employ risk-screening methods that depend on a clear definition for the materials that are to be assessed (e.g., engineered nanomaterial) as well as a method for binning materials into categories for ESOH risk prioritization. The term advanced material lacks a consensus definition and associated categorization or grouping system for risk screening. In this study, we aim to establish a practitioner-driven definition for AdMs and a practitioner-validated framework for categorizing AdMs into conceptual groupings based on material characteristics. Results from multiple workshops and interviews with practitioners provide consistent differentiation between AdMs and conventional materials, offer functional nomenclature for application science, and provide utility for future ESOH risk assessment prioritization. The definition and categorization framework established here serve as a first step in determining if and when there is a need for specific ESOH and regulatory screening for an AdM as well as the type and extent of risk-related information that should be collected or generated for AdMs and AdM-enabled technologies.

Towards safe and sustainable innovation in nanotechnology: State-of-play for smart nanomaterials

“…Smart materials can be considered as part of the broader category of ‘advanced materials’ ( Umwelt Bundesamt (UBA), 2020 ). This term currently lacks of a consensus definition in the scientific community but is generally used to cover all materials exhibiting “novel or enhanced properties that improve performance over conventional products and processes” ( Kennedy et al, 2019 ), including materials with increased temperature resistance, higher strength and lower weight, or super-plasticity. These novel or enhanced properties are usually obtained by combining several materials (conjugation, hybridisation) or adding specific structures or coating layers to the surface of a material (modification, functionalisation), thus resulting in complex, multi-component hierarchical systems performing a variety of functions.…”

The Sustainability of Graphene Research: A Novel Approach in Assessing the Role of Higher Education Policies in Developing Countries—The Case of Indonesia

“…Activity in materials science in human history is ancient, started with the utilization of stone, bronze, iron, clays and ceramics, steel, and now with what is known as advanced materials (AdMs). AdMs is a term that has been used for over four decades but has been more frequently used as a description for nanomaterials in recent years [1]. In an attempt to cover all definitions, AdMs can be identified as those materials exhibiting higher strength/density ratios, greater hardness, and/or one or more superior thermal, electrical, optical, or chemical properties compared to traditional materials [2].…”

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“…Manufactured nanomaterials (MNs), as well as other advanced and emerging materials (e.g., composites incorporating MNs), offer significant benefits to consumers, including technological innovation, improved product performance and more sustainable alternatives to current technologies [ 1 ]. However, safety evaluations of these materials are lagging due to testing challenges, the number, diversity and complexity of MNs coming to market, and the fact that the requirements of regulatory organizations are evolving as understanding of the technology develops.…”