Approaches in Using MatML As a Common Language for Materials Data Exchange

Utilization of XML techniques is seen as a necessary step towards more powerful ways of incorporating semantics into data exchange used by heterogeneous systems. In this paper various techniques are studied and tried, such as XSL transformations (XSLT) and ways of extending the contents of XML Schemas, the final aim being in creating an understanding of the possibilities, and a roadmap that could possibly lead to some useful real-world applications. Based on a materials database an XML Schema is specified that defines the structure of an XML document capable of representing quite complex materials test data together with mandatory metadata. Some approaches are discussed and some of them implemented in prototypes to study the possibilities to comply with and use MatML in order to support sharing of experimentally measured materials data.