Microstructural Characterization of Materials

The choice of a material for a certain application is made taking into account its properties. If, for example one would like to produce a table, a hard material is needed to guarantee the stability of the product, but the material should not be too hard so that manufacturing is still as easy as possible – in this simple example wood might be the material of choice. When coming to more advanced applications the required properties are becoming more complex and the manufacturer`s desire is to tailor the properties of the material to fit the needs. To let this dream come true, insights into the microstructure of materials is crucial to finally control the properties of the materials because the microstructure determines its properties. Written by leading scientists in the field of microstructural design of engineering materials, this book focuses on the evolution and behavior of granular microstructures of various advanced materials during plastic deformation and treatment at elevated temperatures. These topics provide essential background and practical information for materials scientists, metallurgists and solid state physicists.

Linking of materials properties with microstructures is a fundamental theme in materials science, for which a detailed knowledge of the modern characterization techniques is essential. Since modern materials such as high-temperature alloys, engineering thermoplastics and multilayer semiconductor films have many elemental constituents distributed in more than one phase, characterization is essential to the systematic development of such new materials and understanding how they behave in practical applications. X-ray techniques play a major role in providing information on the elemental composition and crystal and grain structures of all types of materials. The challenge to the materials characterization expert is to understand how specific instruments and analytical techniques can provide detailed information about what makes each material unique. The challenge to the materials scientist, chemist, or engineer is to know what information is needed to fully characterize each material and how to use this information to explain its behavior, develop new and improved properties, reduce costs, or ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. This comprehensive handbook presents all the necessary background to understand the applications of X-ray analysis to materials characterization with particular attention to the modern approach to these methods.

This book covers state-of-the-art techniques commonly used in modern materials characterization. Two important aspects of characterization, materials structures and chemical analysis, are included. Widely used techniques, such as metallography (light microscopy), X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, are described. In addition, the book introduces advanced techniques, including scanning probe microscopy. The second half of the book accordingly presents techniques such as X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (commonly equipped in the scanning electron microscope), fluorescence X-ray spectroscopy, and popular surface analysis techniques (XPS and SIMS). Finally, vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR and Raman) and thermal analysis are also covered.

Detailed, up-to-date coverage of hazardous materials and situations Lack of awareness about hazardous materials poses a major problem, causing many needless injuries and losses of property. Incomplete awareness presents just as big a problem; often people who have contact with such materials know just enough to feel safe while actually putting themselves and others in great danger. Though regulatory agencies have provided written standards, rarely do these on their own offer the commonsense advice needed to properly evaluate and handle hazardous materials. Hazardous Materials Characterization: Evaluation Methods, Procedures, and Considerations provides detailed coverage of hazardous materials and situations. Plain language and a common- sense approach make this an accessible resource for use by all workers who handle and deal with these materials. Written according to the latest regulations and best practices, this guide groups related materials together for quick and easy access (corrosive, ignitable, radioactive, etc.). It also details methods and procedures for evaluating the properties and strengths of questionable materials, as well as what reactive substances and situations to look out for when working with these materials. Other topics covered include: * Regulatory review * Sampling and monitoring equipment, applications, and procedures * Human health hazards * Biological hazards * Radiation hazards * Evaluating chemical and biological terrorist threats * Environmental remediation methods * References and resources Packed with the most up-to-date information on hazardous materials and written to maximize accessibility, Hazardous Materials Characterization is a vital reference for all those whose work involves hazardous materials.

SPECTROSCOPY FOR MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION Learn foundational and advanced spectroscopy techniques from leading researchers in physics, chemistry, surface science, and nanoscience In Spectroscopy for Materials Characterization, accomplished researcher Simonpietro Agnello delivers a practical and accessible compilation of various spectroscopy techniques taught and used to today. The book offers a wide-ranging approach taught by leading researchers working in physics, chemistry, surface science, and nanoscience. It is ideal for both new students and advanced researchers studying and working with spectroscopy. Topics such as confocal and two photon spectroscopy, as well as infrared absorption and Raman and micro-Raman spectroscopy, are discussed, as are thermally stimulated luminescence and spectroscopic studies of radiation effects on optical materials. Each chapter includes a basic introduction to the theory necessary to understand a specific technique, details about the characteristic instrumental features and apparatuses used, including tips for the appropriate arrangement of a typical experiment, and a reproducible case study that shows the discussed techniques used in a real laboratory. Readers will benefit from the inclusion of: Complete and practical case studies at the conclusion of each chapter to highlight the concepts and techniques discussed in the material Citations of additional resources ideal for further study A thorough introduction to the basic aspects of radiation matter interaction in the visible-ultraviolet range and the fundamentals of absorption and emission A rigorous exploration of time resolved spectroscopy at the nanosecond and femtosecond intervals Perfect for Master and Ph.D. students and researchers in physics, chemistry, engineering, and biology, Spectroscopy for Materials Characterization will also earn a place in the libraries of materials science researchers and students seeking a one-stop reference to basic and advanced spectroscopy techniques.

Think like an electron Organic electronic materials have many applications and potential in low-cost electronics such as electronic barcodes and in light emitting devices, due to their easily tailored properties. While the chemical aspects and characterization have been widely studied, characterization of the electrical properties has been neglected, and classic textbook modeling has been applied. This is most striking in the analysis of thin-film transistors (TFTs) using thick “bulk” transistor (MOS-FET) descriptions. At first glance the TFTs appear to behave as regular MOS-FETs. However, upon closer examination it is clear that TFTs are unique and merit their own model. Understanding and interpreting measurements of organic devices, which are often seen as black-box measurements, is critical to developing better devices and this, therefore, has to be done with care. Electrical Characterization of Organic Electronic Materials and Devices Gives new insights into the electronic properties and measurement techniques for low-mobility electronic devices Characterizes the thin-film transistor using its own model Links the phenomena seen in different device structures and different measurement techniques Presents clearly both how to perform electrical measurements of organic and low-mobility materials and how to extract important information from these measurements Provides a much-needed theoretical foundation for organic electronics

Dynamic tests have proven to be as efficient as static tests and are often easier to use at lower frequency. Over the last 50 years, the methods of investigating dynamic properties have resulted in significant advances. This book explores dynamic testing, the methods used, and the experiments performed, placing a particular emphasis on the context of bounded medium elastodynamics. The discussion is divided into four parts. Part A focuses on the complements of continuum mechanics. Part B concerns the various types of rod vibrations: extensional, bending, and torsional. Part C is devoted to mechanical and electronic instrumentation, and guidelines for which experimental set-up should be used are given. Part D concentrates on experiments and experimental interpretations of elastic or viscolelastic moduli. In addition, several chapters contain practical examples alongside theoretical discussion to facilitate the reader?s understanding. The results presented are the culmination of over 30 years of research by the authors and as such will be of great interest to anyone involved in this field.

Indentation techniques have become widely used in the characterization of brittle solids due to their simplicity, cost effectiveness, rapidness, and maybe most importantly, the indenter itself can be used as a mechanical microprobe in thin films, interfaces, grain boundaries, and nanocomposites. The papers in these proceedings cover measurement techniques, reliability of, and problems associated with this testing method. Also included is the application of nano-indentation technique, as a new frontier in brittle solids characterization, e.g., thin film and nano-composite materials. Proceedings of the symposium held at the 105th Annual Meeting of The American Ceramic Society, April 27-30, in Nashville, Tennessee; Ceramic Transactions, Volume 156.