Material Characterisation

Material Characterization refers to the process of measuring and analyzing the properties of materials to understand their structure, composition, and performance. This is essential for selecting appropriate materials for engineering applications, assessing quality, and predicting material behavior under various conditions.

Key Aspects of Material Characterization:

1. Physical Properties: Includes density, hardness, porosity, and thermal conductivity.
2. Mechanical Properties: Tests for strength, toughness, elasticity, and fatigue resistance.
3. Chemical Composition: Analyzing the elemental or molecular makeup of materials using techniques like spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
4. Microstructure Analysis: Examines the arrangement of grains, phases, and defects through microscopy (SEM, TEM).
5. Surface Properties: Measures surface roughness, adhesion, and wear resistance.
6. Electrical and Magnetic Properties: Assesses conductivity, resistivity, and magnetic permeability.

Common Techniques:

• Spectroscopy: Techniques like EDS, XRF, and FTIR for chemical analysis.
• Microscopy: Optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
• Mechanical Testing: Tensile, compression, and impact tests.
• Thermal Analysis: DSC and TGA to study thermal behavior.

Material characterization is crucial in industries like aerospace, automotive, and electronics for quality control, research, and product development.