ISO 9277:2010 specifies the determination of the overall specific external and internal surface area of disperse (e.g. nano-powders) or porous solids by measuring the amount of physically adsorbed gas according to the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) method. It takes account of the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommendations of 1984 and 1994.

The BET method is applicable only to adsorption isotherms of type II (disperse, nonporous or macroporous solids) and type IV (mesoporous solids, pore diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm). Inaccessible pores are not detected. The BET method cannot reliably be applied to solids which absorb the measuring gas.

A strategy for specific surface area determination of microporous materials (type I isotherms) is described in an annex.