Materials Analysis

If you have any questions about the materials you are using or planning to use, your first call should be to the X-AT Materials Team. We have the expertise and facilities to advise you on a wide range of issues relating to materials selection, characterisation and analysis. We work flexibly and provide solutions ranging from quick telephone referrals to long term project commitments working with clients to characterise, specify and quality assure materials as they move through your production process.

  • Materials Specification and Sourcing.
  • Performance Characteristics and Service Life Cycle Analysis.
  • In-service failures - fatigue, environmental degredation, stress cracking, production faults.
  • Manufacturing Issues.
  • Suspected Contamination.
  • Batch Variation and Quality Assurance.
  • Fillers, Additives and Colourants.

We also have an excellent selection of research grade analytical equipment that can be used to characterise a wide range of materials.

Mechanical Testing Thermal Analysis Spectroscopy Microscopy Rheology Particle Analysis Surface Analysis
Lloyd Instruments:
LR300k - 300 kN maximum load
EZ20 - 20 kN maximum load
Mettler Toledo:
DSC721e/DSC823e
DMA861e/TMA40
Bruker:
Sentinel Raman
Matrix NIR
Vector 22 MIR
Zeiss:
Axioplan2 Optical Microscope
Rosand:
Capillary Rheometer
CE Instruments:
Sorptomatic 1990 Gas Absorption
Taylor Hobson:
Talyscan 150
Laserscan 200 Extensiometer
Thermal Chamber (-70oC to 300oC)
  Perkin Elmer:
UV Lambda B1010
Hitachi:
S-3200N variable pressure SEM
TA Instruments:
AR2000 Rotational Rheometer
  Veeco:
Explorer Scanning Probe Microscope (AFM,MFM,SEPM,LFM)
        Davenport:MFI    

Our Current and Past research project pages provide more information about our specific interests and areas of expertise.

 

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

The School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences at the University of Exeter operates SEM and AFM microscopes for experimental applications at micro and nano scale. Access to our machines comes with the associated expert and technical assistance able to support routine work on a timed basis or contribute to a significant programme of research and testing. Either way, we seek to deliver the results to your specification and at competitive rates.

We offer a full consultation service, from the initial project concept through to final delivery, and we will work closely with you throughout the process. In offering these analytical techniques, together with additional expert services, we aim to be a powerful problem solver for the challenges you are seeking to overcome.

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