Different Aspects and Applications of Material Analysis

Material analysis involves the discovery of thehave a history longer than 300 years, they continue
physical and chemical properties of all types ofto improve constantly. Lens design improvements
materials, including solids, liquids and gases. From thehave practically eliminated serious aberrations. There
seemingly infinite number of properties that could beare now many important and useful ways to obtain
measured or determined, the analyst performs thelight microscope images, depending on the properties
job of supplying data on those properties which arebeing investigated.
of primary importance for the particular applicationsOne limitation of the standard light microscope in the
demanded of the materials or that these materialsfield of material analysis is the depth of field problem.
are being tested for.The introduction of the electron microscope
The analysis of materials can be broken down by theeliminated this problem by using electrons instead of
type of material of which the sample is made. Thelight to illuminate the sample. It produced images that
composition of solid bulk material can be analyzed bycould almost be interpreted intuitively. The key
electron microprobe and x-ray, including energydevelopment that made the electron microscope
dispersive x-ray, wavelength dispersive x-ray andeven more useful was the development of
x-ray fluorescence. Transmission Electron Microscopy,energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy which was a
Scanning Electron Microscopy or Scanningversatile tool for elemental chemical analysis. This
Transmission Electron Microscopy is used to inspectmade it possible to obtain both morphological and
for defects or impurities in solid bulk material analysis.chemical information at the same time, although
The composition of solid surface material can besignificant analysis must still be done on polished
analyzed by Electron Spectroscopy, Auger Electronsamples rather than on rough surfaces.
Spectroscopy and Ion Scattering Spectrometry.Ultrasonic nondestructive testing is a versatile
Analysis of the composition of solid film materialtechnique that can be applied to many material
utilizes Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy oranalysis applications. Ultrasonic NDT is probably best
Neutron Depth Profiling.known in its more common applications of thickness
The analysis of liquids requires different measurementgauging, flaw detection and acoustic imaging. These
methods. Inorganic liquids are analyzed usinghigh frequency sound waves can also be used to
Inductively Coupled Plasma, Atomic Emissiondiscriminate and quantify some standard mechanical,
Spectroscopy or ICP/Mass Spectrometry. Organicstructural or compositional properties of solids and
liquids utilize Gas Chromatography, Gasliquids.
Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, InfraredUltrasonic analysis is based on a basic principle of
Spectroscopy or Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis.physics that the motion of any wave will be affected
Gas analysis uses many of the same methods thatby the medium through which it travels. There are
are used on liquids. It can employ Gasfour easily measurable parameters associated with
Chromatography, Gas Chromatography/Massthe passage of high frequency sound waves through
Spectrometry, Infrared Spectroscopy, gas sensors ora material. They are transit time, attenuation,
Mass Spectrometry.scattering and frequency content. Changes in one or
Any material analysis should be started at the macromore of these parameters can often be correlated
or visible level. As soon as this has beenwith changes in physical properties of interest to
accomplished, it is time to move on to the microthose carrying out material analysis studies such as
level. There are two kinds of modern microscopes:hardness, elastic modulus, density, homogeneity or
those that use light to form the image and thosegrain structure.
that use electrons. Although microscopes using light