Material Identification through Observation, Smell, Inquiry, and Touch
January 16, 2025
Material Identification through Observation, Smell, Inquiry, and Touch
When the number of samples provided is very limited, or there are no instruments available for use, how can we identify a material and determine its formula to send samples to customers? We can use the four-step method of observation, smell, inquiry, and touch, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine.
Observation: When a material burns, the outer electrons of different elements transition between different energy levels, releasing energy in the form of electromagnetic waves of various wavelengths, thus producing different flame colors. The wavelength with the highest radiation intensity is roughly inversely proportional to the temperature, which is why the inner and outer flames have different colors due to their different temperatures. Therefore, we can identify the type of material by observing the colors of the inner and outer flames.
Smell: During combustion, high molecular weight substances undergo pyrolysis to produce small molecular fragments, which then react with oxygen to form free radicals, ultimately resulting in low molecular weight volatile substances. The combustion rate affects the temperature and the chemical reaction pathways. We can identify the type of material by detecting the odor of the low molecular weight volatile substances and whether there is black smoke, thereby inferring the material's composition and structure.
Inquiry: Ask the customer about the application scenarios and the tests that need to be passed. By combining the characteristics of our materials, we can obtain a rough formula.
Touch: Feel the texture of the sample, such as its hardness, to gain a deeper understanding. By integrating all these observations, we can ultimately determine the formula.
The above methods are only applicable when the number of samples is limited or there are no instruments available for use, to identify the type of material and finally determine the formula.