Research devices

The Hitachi S-3700N Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) a variable pressure SEM (VP) that can be operated under both high vacuum and nitrogen partial pressure up to 270Pa (0.1Atm). The SEM is equipped with an Oxford AZtec EDS analysis system. The SEM has a very large vacuum chamber, so that even large samples or a large number of (smaller) samples can be examined simultaneously.

The Hitachi SU70 is a so-called Schottky FEG Scanning Electron Microscope. It is primarily used with materials science research. The electron source also allows non-conductive materials, such as alumina, to be examined to a resolution of about 3nm without applying a conductive layer. Such a layer covers small surface details.

The Toni Technik hydraulic pressure test machine 5000 kN is an advanced materials testing machine used for carrying out pressure tests on building materials and other materials.

The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) - Optical Emission Spectrometry (OES) system can be used to determine which elements are present in a sample and in what quantities.

An Ar plasma beam is used to create cross sections of thin sections or layers, typically up to 500µm. The thickness is limited from economic and machining time considerations. During machining, a deformation-free surface is created. Ideally suited for research on cross sections of thin layers (from 2-3nm).

In the laser diffraction particle analyzer a laser beam is focused on a sample. When the laser beam hits the particles this causes scattering of the light. This scattering is then measured whereby the particle size can be determined from the pattern.

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) combines liquid chromatography (LC) with mass spectrometry (MS) to separate, identify, and quantify compounds. It is a powerful analytical technique commonly used for the analysis of complex mixtures of non-volatile, thermally unstable, and polar compounds.

The MCR 702 is a Dynamic Shear Rheometer used to determine the rheological properties of viscous materials. A sample is built in between 2 circular plates of 8 or 25 mm and then these plates are rotated, causing shearing to occur. During the test, the test piece is in a small climate chamber.

A rheometer is an instrument that characterizes the flow behavior of materials. This characterization can be performed over a wide range, from aqueous fluids and slurries to fully cured polymers, using either rotational mode (viscosity) or dynamic vibration mode (DMA). Measurements can be programmed as a function of temperature, time, shear rate, frequency, etc.

The MTS 311.21 fatigue bench is used for fatigue testing on materials and components. With this bench we can perform tensile tests and fatigue tests with forces up to 350kN. We mainly use this bench for fatigue tests on steel and composite.