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The Characterization and Application of Materials

It has been stated numerous times in the past that the advance of our civilization through its tech-
nology and industry depends upon materials. In more recent years this advance has depended primarily
upon the solution of materials problems; this is true in the electronics industry, in space, in the use of
atomic energy and in defense, as well as in the planning, design and manufacture of systems, devices,
machinery for use in transportation, housing, air and water pollution and deep submergence equipment *.

Consider the fact that there are more than 75, 000 materials available in one way or another for
selection and use in some particular application. The problem is how to select some of these for the
application. Would a metal be better than a ceramic or a polymer? Would a fibre- reinforced-plastic
be suitable? In the pa st, which material was eventually selected was, to a great extent, dependent upon
the experience (the educational background) of the materials engineer. If his experience was primarily
that of a metallurgist, it is fairly certain that the choice of the material would be a metal. And if the
background of the specifier included experience in polymers, than a polymer would most likely be the
choice. Quite apparently, then, what is needed is a materials system concept.

A partial answer to this problem has been the emergence of the 'new breed' of materials information
specialist. As Milek ** points out, we are in the midst of an information explosion and to meet this
explosion more than 100 Information Analysis Centres have arisen (in the U. S.A. ). The members of these
centres have evolved into a new breed of specialist on materials.

Such an individual must be strongly oriented in chemistry, physics, metallurgy, polymers,
ceramics as well as mathematics. Clearly, there are few who could so qualify for to do so they would
need not only years of study in all of these fields but also special study in library science, data process-
ing and computer language. Consequently this 'new breed', although but a partial answer to the dilemma
of materials solution since there can be so few of them, is rare. He evolves through experience rather
than is synthesized through education. The fact that he evolves through experience, however, builds in
the bias of his background spoken of earlier.