Characterization techniques

Abstract

As the synthesis reaction of a new material proceeds, several questions crop up regarding the course of chemical reaction, possible occurrence of side reactions, formation of side products, if any, and the structure and properties of the final product, followed by its thermal and morphological behaviour. With proper assessment of aforementioned features, one can easily deduce the most important parameter, that is, the structure-property relationship of the material. A sound knowledge of the latter is instrumental in exploring the purity, durability, service performance, life span and applicational areas of the material. The knowledge of synthesis, physico-chemical, physico-mechanical, spectral, morphological properties and thermal behaviour of materials is essential to understand the structure-property relationship with reference to their application and performance under service conditions. Hence, it is important to provide a brief overview of various characterization techniques and methods used to investigate the performance of materials.