Materials Science is an interdisciplinary field which deals with the development, selection and research of materials with different chemical compositions and structures on different size scales. 

Materials can be classified according to different criteria. A widespread possibility distinguishes as follows:

• Metallic materials: e.g. iron and steel, non-ferrous metals 
• Non-metallic inorganic materials: e.g. ceramics, glass
• Polymers: e.g. plastics, natural materials
• semiconductor
• carbon-based materials: e.g. carbon nanotubes, graphene

Materials Testing comprises various test methods based on different physical principles which can be used to determine material parameters of standardized specimens or components.