Application and importance of advanced methods of testing materials; Characterization for different type of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers and composites); Chemical characterization of large materials samples and small volume samples: Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES), X-ray emission spectroscopy (RES), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDX), wave dispersion spectroscopy (WDX), quantitative X - ray structural analysis(diffractometric method). Selection and preparation samples for chemical characterization. Thermal methods of material characterization: Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Different Thermic Analysis (DTA), Deference Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dilatometric Analysis (DIL) and Thermo Mechanical Analysis (TMA). Select and preparation of samples for thermal characterization. Characterization of material microstructure: qualitative and quantitative X-ray structural analysis - diffractometric method, Light Microscopy (LM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Secondary Electron, Back Scattering Electron(BSE) and Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM), Electronic Microanalysis (EM). Selection and preparation of samples for characterization of the microstructure. Application of computer image analysis for quantitative phase determination. Test methods porosity: water absorption, livestock porosimetry, image analysis, low temperature adsorption of gases. Characterization of mechanical properties: macro and micro hardness, ISE phenomenon. Specificity of application of individual methods in metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. Part of the course is taught through independent study in the subject area. Study research work includes active monitoring of primary scientific sources, organization and execution of experiments and statistical processing of data, numerical simulations, possibly writing works in the field of subjects.