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Overview

The Materials Markup Language (MatML) is an XML standard which serves to standardize the exchange of materials information. It is primarily used in the materials science, engineering, materials manufacturing, and related fields.

Like any other XML schema, the MatML format provides a set of XML tags, attributes, and other elements along with their definitions and rules in how they may be organized. This schema, of course, is designed to store and exchange communicate information about materials, such as their composition, property data, manufacturing method, test results, shape and size, and much more. As such, there exist tags like <Material>, <PropertyData>, <Specification>, amongst many others.

The MatML schema has been employed in several software packages including Siemens NX, GRANTA, and others. A few free software programs exist which enable editing and using MatML data such as those listed here on the wiki's home page, and now with elematic.

Numerous literature have been published on the history, development, and application of the MatML schema, some of which is provided in References & Further Reading.

MatML for the User

The MatML schema has a straightforward architecture when viewed from afar. Simply, every MatML file has a top-most element called MatML_Doc which contains at least one Material (or possibly more), and optionally, Metadata.

The Material element contains information about the material, such as property data, attributes, etc. Those property data are contained in either BulkDetails (which may occur once or not at all), or ComponentDetails (which may occur any number of times). The difference between these is that ComponentDetails is appropriate for a particular layer, phase, or some other sub-component of a material, whereas naturally, BulkDetails describes the material overall. So for instance, the material card for a carbon fiber reinforced polymer may have a BulkDetails which defines the Name of the overall material, but there are subsequent ComponentDetails for each of the fiber and matrix components.

graph LR
    MatML_Doc[`MatML_Doc`\nTop-Most Element]
    Material[`Material`\nContains property information]
    Metadata[`Metadata`\nContains property definitions]
    BulkDetails[`BulkDetails`\nContains bulk information]
    ComponentDetails[`ComponentDetails`\nContains component information]

    MatML_Doc -->|at least one| Material
    MatML_Doc -->|at most one| Metadata
    Material -->|at most one| BulkDetails
    Material -->|any number| ComponentDetails

The Metadata contains the definitions of property data and other elements within the Material elements.

Looking more closely at the BulkDetails element, it comprises ten child elements, spanning description information (like specification and form), as well as property data such as the processing details and actual PropertyData. Each of these elements, in turn, have additional child elements. For instance, the PropertyData element has seven attributes and five child elements.

graph LR
    BulkDetails --> Name
    BulkDetails --> Class
    BulkDetails --> Subclass
    BulkDetails --> Specification
    BulkDetails --> Source
    BulkDetails --> PropertyData
    BulkDetails --> Form
    BulkDetails --> ProcessingDetails
    BulkDetails --> Characterization
    BulkDetails --> Notes

    PropertyData[PropertyData\nproperty\ntechnique\nsource\nspecimen\ntest\ndelimiter\nquote] --> Data
    PropertyData --> Qualifier
    PropertyData --> Uncertainty
    PropertyData --> ParameterValue
    PropertyData --> N[Notes]

The attributes refer to definitions found in the Metadata. For instance there is a PropertyDetails element which has a certain id. The property attribute of a PropertyData element corresponds to that of the PropertyDetails's id.

graph LR
    Metadata
    Metadata --> AuthorityDetails
    Metadata --> DataSourceDetails
    Metadata --> MeasurementTechniqueDetails
    Metadata --> ParameterDetails
    Metadata --> PropertyDetails
    Metadata --> SourceDetails
    Metadata --> SpecimenDetails
    Metadata --> TestConditionDetails
Example MatML File - Aluminum Alloy from a Printed Handbook 
<!--
******************************************************************************************************************************
    MatML Version 3.0 Schema Example 2 - Aluminum Alloy from a Printed Handbook
    Prepared by - E.F. Begley, NIST and J.G. Kaufman, The Aluminum Association, Inc.
    Source - Handbook data generously provided by F. Cverna of ASM International and J.G. Kaufman of the 
    Aluminum Association from Properties of Aluminum Alloys, p. 291, ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, 
    ISBN: 0-87170-632-6, 1999.

    Modified 16 July 2004 by Craig Seymour, Granta Design to match MatML Version 3.1
    ******************************************************************************************************************************  
-->
<MatML_Doc xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="matml31.xsd">
    <Material>
        <BulkDetails>
            <Name authority="AAADS">1350</Name>
            <Class>
                <Name>metal</Name>
            </Class>
            <Subclass>
                <Name>aluminum alloy</Name>
            </Subclass>
            <Specification>ASTM B230</Specification>
            <Form>
                <Description>Rolled rod and shapes</Description>
            </Form>
            <ProcessingDetails>
                <Name>Temper H18</Name>
            </ProcessingDetails>
            <Characterization>
                <Formula>Al</Formula>
                <DimensionalDetails>
                    <Name>Thickness</Name>
                    <Value format="string">0.5,2.0</Value>
                    <Units name="inches">
                        <Unit>
                            <Name>in</Name>
                        </Unit>
                    </Units>
                    <Qualifier>min.,max.</Qualifier>
                </DimensionalDetails>
            </Characterization>
            <PropertyData property="pr1" technique="mt1" source="ds1" specimen="sp1">
                <Data format="float">+23,+17,+15,+14.5,+14.5</Data>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa1" format="integer">
                    <Data>0,0,0,0,0</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa2" format="integer">
                    <Data>1,1,1,1,1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa3" format="exponential">
                    <Data>1.0E5,1.0E6,1.0E7,1.0E8,5.0E8</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
            </PropertyData>
            <PropertyData property="pr2" technique="mt1" source="ds1" specimen="sp1">
                <Data format="integer">+160,+115,+105,+100,+100</Data>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa1" format="integer">
                    <Data>0,0,0,0,0</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa2" format="integer">
                    <Data>1,1,1,1,1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa3" format="exponential">
                    <Data>1.0E5,1.0E6,1.0E7,1.0E8,5.0E8</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
            </PropertyData>
            <PropertyData property="pr1" technique="mt1" source="ds1" specimen="sp1">
                <Data format="float">+11.5,+8.5,+7,+6.5,+6.5</Data>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa1" format="integer">
                    <Data>-1,-1,-1,-1,-1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa2" format="integer">
                    <Data>1,1,1,1,1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa3" format="exponential">
                    <Data>1.0E5,1.0E6,1.0E7,1.0E8,5.0E8</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
            </PropertyData>
            <PropertyData property="pr2" technique="mt1" source="ds1" specimen="sp1">
                <Data format="integer">+80,+59,+48,+45,+45</Data>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa1" format="integer">
                    <Data>-1,-1,-1,-1,-1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa2" format="integer">
                    <Data>1,1,1,1,1</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
                <ParameterValue parameter="pa3" format="exponential">
                    <Data>1.0E5,1.0E6,1.0E7,1.0E8,5.0E8</Data>
                </ParameterValue>
            </PropertyData>
        </BulkDetails>
        <Glossary>
            <Term>
                <Name>H18</Name>
                <Definition>
                    "H18" is a code from The Aluminum Association Temper Designation System. The H is defined as "strain-hardened (wrought products only). The 1 applies to products that are strain-hardened to obtain the desired strength without supplementary thermal treatment. The 8 indicates the degree of strain-hardening and is assigned to the hardest tempers normally produced.
                </Definition>
            </Term>
            <Term>
                <Name>1350</Name>
                <Definition>
                    "1350" is a code from The Aluminum Association Alloy Designation System. The first digit of the code represents the principal alloying constitutent(s). The second digit indicates variations of the initial alloy. The third and fourth digits indicate individual alloy variations (the numbers have no significance but are unique). 1350 is an alloy that is pure AL (99.00% or greater). For further details, contact The Aluminum Association, 900 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
                </Definition>
            </Term>
        </Glossary>
    </Material>
    <Metadata>
        <AuthorityDetails id="AAADS">
            <Name>The Aluminum Association Alloy Designation System</Name>
        </AuthorityDetails>
        <DataSourceDetails id="ds1" type="handbook, typical data">
            <Name>
                "Properties of aluminum alloys : tensile, creep, and fatigue data at high and low temperatures" / edited by J. Gilbert Kaufman.
            </Name>
            <Notes>
                Plus (+) indicates tension; minus (-) indicates compression.
            </Notes>
        </DataSourceDetails>
        <MeasurementTechniqueDetails id="mt1">
            <Name>ASTM E597</Name>
        </MeasurementTechniqueDetails>
        <ParameterDetails id="pa1">
            <Name>Stress Ratio</Name>
            <Unitless/>
            <Notes>
                Stress Ratio (R) = (minimum stress)/(maximum stress)
            </Notes>
        </ParameterDetails>
        <ParameterDetails id="pa2">
            <Name>Number of Samples</Name>
            <Unitless/>
        </ParameterDetails>
        <ParameterDetails id="pa3">
            <Name>Number of Cycles</Name>
            <Unitless/>
        </ParameterDetails>
        <PropertyDetails id="pr1" type="mechanical">
            <Name>Axial-Stress Fatigue Strength</Name>
            <Units name="ksi" description="kip per square inch">
                <Unit>
                    <Name>ksi</Name>
                </Unit>
            </Units>
        </PropertyDetails>
        <PropertyDetails id="pr2" type="mechanical">
            <Name>Axial-Stress Fatigue Strength</Name>
            <Units name="MPa" description="megapascals">
                <Unit>
                    <Name>MPa</Name>
                </Unit>
            </Units>
        </PropertyDetails>
        <SpecimenDetails id="sp1" type="cylindrical">
            <Name>smooth specimen</Name>
            <Notes>diameter = 0.375 inches</Notes>
        </SpecimenDetails>
    </Metadata>
</MatML_Doc>

References & Further Reading

  • A. S. Varde, E. F. Begley, and S. Fahrenholz-Mann, ‘MatML: XML for information exchange with materials property data’, in Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Data Mining Standards, Services and Platforms, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2006, pp. 47–54. [Online]. Available: https://web.cs.wpi.edu/~aparna/MatMLAESJuly14.pdf
  • X. Zhang, C. Hu, and H. Li, “Semantic Query on Materials Data Based on Mapping MatML to an OWL Ontology,” Data Science Journal, vol. 8. Ubiquity Press, Ltd., pp. 1–17, 2009. doi: 10.2481/dsj.8.1. [Online]. Available: https://datascience.codata.org/articles/10.2481/dsj.8.1
  • https://groups.oasis-open.org/higherlogic/ws/public/download/4629/Matml%203.0%20Schema.pdf