Characterization may involve testing the physical properties of a material, or analysis of the materials' interior structure. Often advanced microscopy or elemental analysis are used to magnify or visualize internal structure and gain an understanding of the distribution and interaction of elements within the specimen.
By fully understanding the properties of a material at the elemental level, we can gain greater insight as to how the material will perform in its desired application, or how it may be altered to suit a particular use.
