November 2025: New ISO Standards Advance Glass and Ceramics Industry Quality

The November 2025 publication of two pivotal ISO standards marks a significant leap forward for the glass and ceramics industries. As advanced ceramics gain prominence in high-performance applications, these new documents—ISO 17138:2025 and ISO 17168-3:2025—provide rigorous, standardized methodologies for evaluating flexural strength and air purification capabilities, respectively. Whether you are a quality manager, engineer, compliance officer, or procurement specialist, understanding these standards is crucial for ensuring excellence and safety in manufacturing and product development.

Overview / Introduction

The glass and ceramics industries are essential drivers of innovation, providing advanced materials for sectors ranging from electronics and construction to environmental engineering. Precise standards are the backbone of this field, enabling reproducibility, interoperability, safety, and regulatory compliance. With new international standards released every month, it is vital for industry professionals to stay up to date and to integrate the latest requirements into quality management systems.

In November 2025, two updated ISO standards equip technical ceramics manufacturers and end-users with robust tools for:

• Measuring the mechanical robustness of ceramic composites in real-world scenarios
• Assessing the efficacy of photocatalytic materials in removing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like toluene from indoor air

This article unpacks these standards, offering the technical details, compliance tips, and implementation strategies you need to stay ahead.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO 17138:2025 - Flexural Strength Testing of Ceramic Composites

Fine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) – Mechanical properties of ceramic composites at room temperature – Determination of flexural strength

This updated ISO standard sets out a uniform method for determining the flexural strength of ceramic matrix composite materials (CMCs) with continuous fibre reinforcement. Applied at room temperature, the procedure covers one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (xD, 2 < x ≤ 3) CMCs—key material classes in advanced industrial and structural applications.

The methodology employs either three-point or four-point bending tests under controlled laboratory conditions. Results help estimate mechanical reliability and are fundamental for quality control, research, and material benchmarking. The standard is NOT designed for generating absolute design values, but rather for comparative quality assessment and R&D.

What’s new in the 2025 edition?

• Updated normative references for harmonization with the latest ISO documents
• Clarified procedures and terminology reflecting advances in CMC fabrication
• Enhanced structure for test reporting and interpretation

Who should comply?

• Manufacturers and suppliers of high-performance ceramics and composites
• Testing laboratories specializing in advanced ceramics
• Industries using CMCs for armor, energy, transportation, or electronics

Practical implications

• Ensures mechanical consistency and facilitates supplier comparisons
• Underpins certification schemes and third-party assessments
• Supports R&D for new CMC formulations

Key highlights:

• Covers all continuous fibre-reinforced CMCs (1D/2D/xD)
• Enables both three-point and four-point bend testing
• Details apparatus, specimen preparation, procedures, and reporting

Access the full standard:View ISO 17138:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 17168-3:2025 - Air Purification Performance of Photocatalytic Ceramics (Toluene Removal)

Fine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) – Test method for air-purification performance of semiconducting photocatalytic materials under indoor lighting environment – Part 3: Removal of toluene

With the growing emphasis on healthier indoor environments, this standard enables objective measurement of a material’s capacity to remove toluene, a common and harmful VOC, via photocatalysis. The specification applies to:

• Flat, board, or plate-shaped construction materials with photocatalytic coatings (typically based on titanium dioxide)
• Honeycomb ceramic forms
• Plastics, papers, or composites embedded with ceramic microcrystals

It does not encompass powders or granules and focuses on air purification as opposed to other photocatalytic functions like self-cleaning.

The standard meticulously details apparatus setup, specimen pretreatment, exposure methodologies, and the calculation of toluene removal rates under controlled indoor lighting. The method references test system purity, quality assurance steps, and the necessity for careful handling due to possible toxic byproducts and gases.

Target users

• Manufacturers and certifiers of air-purifying ceramic products
• Construction materials producers integrating photocatalytic technologies
• Indoor air quality researchers and environmental control system designers

Practical implications

• Validates the air-purifying potential of advanced ceramics for regulatory and marketing claims
• Facilitates comparison of competing products across different laboratories
• Provides a reproducible protocol for internal quality control and product development

Key highlights:

• Specific to toluene removal, a challenging indoor environmental pollutant
• Applicable to a wide range of industrial materials and product forms
• Integrates recent updates on test lighting and gas analysis from ISO 24448 and related standards

Access the full standard:View ISO 17168-3:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

Adopting these standards empowers organizations to:

• Ensure their products align with global best practices in material testing and air quality management
• Meet procurement criteria for government, healthcare, and green building projects
• Bolster their competitive advantage by certifying high performance and safety

Compliance considerations:

• Assess current testing capabilities; invest in equipment and training where necessary
• Update quality management systems (QMS) documentation to integrate the new test protocols
• Engage third-party laboratories accredited for ISO/IEC 17025 where internal capabilities are lacking
• Monitor revision histories, as these standards replace previous editions—ISO 17138:2014 and ISO 17168-3:2018 respectively

Early adoption mitigates risk of market exclusion, recall, or missed tenders.

Benefits of compliance:

• Increased buyer and consumer confidence
• Streamlined certifications and regulatory approvals
• Enhanced internal consistency and traceability

Risks of non-compliance:

• Product rejection in tender processes or by regulatory agencies
• Inability to provide certified data for marketing, safety, or performance claims
• Legal or reputational consequences in case of product failure or emissions exceeding safe limits

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements

Both standards emphasize methodical specimen preparation, precision instrumentation, and detailed record-keeping. Laboratories must:

• Use calibrated force or gas measurement systems (ISO 7500-1 for mechanical tests)
• Meter and control lighting conditions for photocatalytic performance tests (compliance with ISO 24448)
• Maintain traceability for all measurements and calibrations

Implementation Best Practices

1. Training: Ensure technical staff are conversant with the latest procedures, safety measures, and reporting protocols.
2. Quality Assurance: Implement regular cross-checks and participate in interlaboratory comparison studies (recommended within ISO annex guidance).
3. Documentation: Revise standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect updated ISO terminology, requirements, and reporting structures.
4. Safety: Pay particular attention to fluid/gas management, disposal of exhaust gases, and chemical handling—especially with air purification testing.

Testing and Certification Considerations

• For flexural strength testing, verify all equipment is calibrated to ISO/IEC standards and specimens are prepared per exact ISO requirements.
• For photocatalytic performance, ensure test chambers exclude environmental contaminants and conduct background adsorption tests as outlined.
• Certified data under authoritative ISO methods facilitates acceptance in multiple jurisdictions and supports product declarations, labels, and procurement documents.

Conclusion / Next Steps

Key Takeaways

• ISO 17138:2025 and ISO 17168-3:2025 deliver robust, peer-reviewed methodologies for assessing the most crucial performance traits of advanced ceramics.
• Implementing these standards enhances material quality, supports global market access, and meets the latest buyer and regulatory demands.

Recommendations for Organizations

• Download the full standards and incorporate their requirements without delay
• Provide targeted training to laboratory and quality assurance teams
• Collaborate with third-party certifiers to validate results—and consider external audits to verify compliance
• Stay informed by following updates through platforms like iTeh Standards

By integrating these state-of-the-art standards, you position your organization at the forefront of technological progress, compliance, and quality in the dynamic world of glass and ceramics.

Explore the complete standards and ensure your compliance today:

• ISO 17138:2025 on iTeh Standards
• ISO 17168-3:2025 on iTeh Standards

Stay ahead in the glass and ceramics industries—make compliance your innovation advantage.