The NIMS ingetrated search engine can once search through plural NIMS materials databases and provide information of the data stored in each database, such as chemical system and chemical formula of materials, data items, etc. At present, the search cope covers the following eight databases.
Two search methods are available :
1. Keyword search
2. MITS Tree search
From the search results, you can go directly to the data page of each database system.
Keyword search
To search by keyword, simply input your keywords (an element, a chemical formula, a property name, etc.) into the text box and then press the Enter key or click the gsearchh button.
Example:
1Cr-0.5Mo
AND Search
By inserting an AND between the inputted keywords or by checking the radio button
, you may obtain search results containing all the keywords inputted.
Example:
Creep AND Fe
OR Search
By inserting an OR between the inputted keywords or by checking the radio button
, you may obtain search results containing either of the inputted keywords.
Example:
Creep OR Fatigue
NOT Search
In the case that you want your search result not containing a specific keywords, you may insert an NOT before the keyword.
Example:
Creep NOT Fe
Combine Search
You can also combine the gANDh, gORh and gNOTh in one search query by using parenthesis.
Example:
(Creep Fe) OR Fatigue
In the following cases, an search error will occour:
1. 1. AND, OR are inputted continuously. For example:
Creep AND OR Fe
2. AND, OR are inputted into the head of a search query. For example:
AND Creep AND FE
3. AND, OR are inputted immediately after NOT. For example:
Creep NOT AND FE
Phrase Search
If two or more keywords are surrounded by double quotation marks, they will be treated as a phrase. The search results will contain the whole phrase.
Example:
"JIS STBA 24"
Contain Search
Leading matching search
If a * is attached at the end of a keyword, the search result will contain words beginning with the keyword. For example:
1.25Cr*
Trailing matching search
If a * is attached at the beginning of a keyword, the search result will contain words ending with the keyword. For example:
*0.5Mo
Partial matching search
If a * is attached to the both ends of a keyword, the search result will contain words with the keyword as a part of them. For example:
*SUS*
You may also obtain the same search results by checking the check box 
Search result preview
The search keywords and the number of results (Hit) found in each database are displayed.
When Preview is clicked, the abstract of each search result will be displayed.
By clicking the hyperlink in the abstract, you may directly go to the data page of the database system. However, in order to view the data, you need to be a registered user and to input your user ID and password correctly.
If you want to make a registration, just click the Resistration link, and you will be brought to the registration page of the database.
MITS Tree Search
NIMS Tree search can help you to search for results by categories of materials and material properties. In the left frame of the page, a material hierarchy tree is shown. When clicking on the "+", the sub-hierarchy will be displayed; and when clicking on the "-", the sub-hierarchy will be hidden. By clicking on a material category or a material property, you may easily obtain the corresponding search result.