材料分析的目的

    如圖A-1- 4.1所示，材料的基本性質由主要成份的元素決定，經由添加少量和微量元素調整材料性質，再透過熱處裡加工進一步調整材料性質。以精密陶瓷(fine ceramics)為例。研發新材料時，首先根據材料性質要求，選定主成份的元素種類，再添加數種少量和微量的元素，均勻混合之後，壓錠成形先行鍛燒，再用不同的溫度燒結(sintering)。每一添加元素的添加量(x)和燒結溫度(T)的變化都可形成一份矩陣，再加上燒結時間(t)的變化，總實驗條件至少達n1 x n2 x n3個，假設 n1 = n2 = n3 = 5，需要燒結的樣品最少需要125個樣品才可以系統性完成第一階段的性質評估。這樣的作法是依靠大量的實驗室數據堆積出結果，而且只知其然而不知其所以然。

    The basic properties of the material are basically determined by its major composition, and tuned by minor and trace additives, and following heat treatment, as shown in Fig. A-1- 4.1. Let’s take fine ceramics to be an example of R&D in a new material. We chose one kind of the major composition according to the requirements of demands in material properties, then minor elements, and finally trace elements. Those homogeneously mixed powder are then pressed to discs to be put into furnaces for calcination and following sintering. If there are five doses of one minor element, five sintering temperatures, and five sintering time for each sintering temperature in this experiment. Then there are 125 conditions totally in this experiment. It takes a lot of resource to finish this experiment. We may get some samples meeting requirements, but we do not know why from this type of experiment.

    換一個實驗方向，如果先調配二種少量元素添加量的配方，即n1= 2，樣品數降至50個。然後再從性質測試曲線挑出5 ~ 6個樣品做材料分析，從其顯微結構的特徵，推演和歸納出少量元素添加量，燒結溫度，和燒結時間對材料顯微結構變化的影響。再將材料顯微結構和材料性質的關聯性推導出來，就容易推導出下一階段的配方，燒結溫度和燒結時間調整方向。

    Let’s do another way. If only two different doses for the minor element are used, the amount of samples drop to 50 from 125. Then 5 to 6 samples are picked up to do MA after property test. We can deduce effects of addition, sintering temperature, and sintering time on the microstructure. After understanding the relationship between the microstructure and properties, we are then able to decide the tuning direction for the amounts of minor element, sintering temperature and sintering time.

    透過對材料的顯微結構、組成元素、和結晶結構的分析，充分瞭解原料、製程、和材料性質的對應關係，確立調製原料和製程調整的方向，減少錯誤嘗試的時間，達到縮短研發時間和減少資源浪費，這就是材料分析主要的目的。更重要的是，當材料分析結果分門別類整理成一資料庫後，成為下一世代材料開發的重要資產。

    We can fully understand the relationship among properties, process, and raw materials through studying the microstructure, composition/composition distribution, and crystal structure of the processed materials. The direction of process tuning can be focused after MA. MA work can save huge of resources, including time, in R&D. It is more important that results of MA can be organized to be valuable database for related materials of next generation.

圖A-1- 4.1. 影響材料性質的參數。