Materials Testing

A method of testing a test material comprising providing a selecting a precursor of said test material, contacting said precursor with a support member and forming said test material on the support member across a region of a support member which is arranged to define an opening, said opening being substantially closed by a plug means having a surface in contact with said test material that is substantially coplanar with said region, said test material being adhered to said region of the support member, moving a force applying means relative to said test material to apply a force to said material through the plug means in a direction away from said region of the support member and wherein the plug means does not substantially deform under the application of said force and recording the force applied or a parameter relating to the force applied to said test material by said force applying means.

A method of testing a plurality of test materials comprising providing a plurality of test materials across respective regions of said support member which are arranged to define respective openings, each said opening being substantially closed by a respective plug means having a surface in contact with said respective test material that is substantially coplanar with its respective region, said test materials being adhered to their respective regions of the support member and to said surfaces of the respective plug means, and moving a force applying means relative to said test materials to apply a force to said materials through the respective plug means in a direction away from its respective region of the support member and wherein the plug means do not substantially deform under the application of said force.

Apparatus for testing a material comprising a support member which has at least one region that is arranged to define an opening and across which a test material may be located in use;

• said opening being substantially closed, in an initial set up of said apparatus, by a plug means having a surface contactable in use with said test material that is substantially coplanar with said region, said region being capable of being adhered to by a test material, and a force applying means which is movable relative to the support member for applying a force through the plug means to a test material located in said region during use.

Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said computer includes an output for controlling movement of the force applying means relative to the support member;

• and an input for receiving data relating to the force applied and the reaction of the test material to the force applied.