Microstructure

Microstructure refers of the microscopic description of the individual constituents of a material. The length scale is 100-1 micrometres, well above the atomic levels. That said, work has long been underway on nano-level microstructural control (although this really should be renamed nanostructure). The microstructure of a material (of which we can broadly classify into metallic, polymeric, ceramic and composite) really is a study of the crystal structure of a material, their size, composition, orientation, formation, interaction and, ultimately, their effect on the macroscopic behaviour in terms of physical properties such as strength, toughness, ductility, hardness, corrosion resistance, high / low temperature behaviour, wearability, and so on, which in turn govern the application of these materials in industry and manufacture.