CHARACTERIZATION OF MATERIALS

The term, Characterization, as used in this report means essentially a description of those features of the composition and structure including defects of a material that are significant for a particular preparation, study of properties, or use, and suffice for reproduction of the material. Such work on characterization is, at present, fragmented as a field. While practically every laboratory using materials makes some specialized measurements which may partially define a material, rarely if ever do we get independently and thoroughly characterized materials. In a word, materials characterization, the cornerstone of materials science, is a neglected field. This committee, charged with making a detailed study of characterization in terms of composition, structure, defects, polycrystals, and polymers, has documented the state of the art in our ability to prepare a material, analyze it composition, structure, and defects, and in turn to correlate these to property measurements. The study also assesses the situation surrounding some of the greatest needs for characterization e.g., a better techniques and instruments, or more and better use of existing techniques and instruments, b better characterization for improved preparation of materials, or for improved study of materials, or for improved use of materials, and c more accurate and detailed characterization of materials in general, or just certain features of certain materials.