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Equipment in the Department of Materials EngineeringBookings for selected equipmentSummary of Equipment
Atomic Force Microscope (portable) Nanosurf Mobile SProf GP Simon Cold Isostatic PressProfessor Y.-B.ChengAn ABB press allows formation of powder green bodies with various shapes under isostatic pressures of up to 200MPa. Creep Testing RigsDr J.F. NieThe creep testing machines are designed to test samples (mainly metallic materials) of lengths less than 70 mm and of yield strengths up to 300 MPa. Creep tests are performed in oil baths at temperatures up to 200°C. Strain is measured using Instron extensometers that are connected to a datataker. d.c. conductivityProfessor G.P. SimonTwo digital Electrometers (Keithley 617 and Advantest TR8652) are employed to record dc conduction currents in electrical insulating and conductive materials. Two Nicolet Explorer oscilloscopes provide data logging and may be connected to a personal computer. These measurements are normally made in conjunction with LIPP. Density using Gas PycnometryProfessor G.P. SimonA Micromeritics Accupyc 1330 Gas Pycnometer allows rapid and accurate determination of density of samples of the order of 0.5 to 4 gms. By using helium gas as the means of determining the volume of a sample of known mass, density can be determined without recourse to density gradient columns and other techniques which require the sample to be immersed in solvent. Dielectric Relaxation Analysis (Variable Frequency)Professor G.P. SimonDielectric relaxation of polymers can be measured over a frequency range of 10-3 to 105Hz using a TA Instruments dielectric cell that can go from -100°C to 300°C. As well as measuring samples in the solid film state, a range of interdigitated electrodes allow measurement of liquid samples, and in-situ monitoring of samples that react. Special gridded electrodes have also been built to allow the monitoring of dielectric relaxation change in-situ during water uptake of films. Differential Scanning CalorimetryProfessor W.D. CookThe Department has three DSCs. All are capable of low temperature operation and up to 600°C. One unit employs liquid nitrogen as coolant and has the cell in a dry-box and so this unit is ideal for long-term low temperature experiments. The second can operate down to -65°C and can be fitted with two photocuring lamp accessories (365 and 470 nm) for photopolymerization studies. The third unit is capable of modulated temperature DSC which is of great value in studies of superimposed phenomenon such as physical ageing, phase separation, curing or crystallization. The unit is also equipped with a gas exchanger so that oxidation studies can be performed. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA)Professor G.P. Simon (DMTA) Professor W.D. Cook (DMA7) Three different dynamic mechanical thermal analysis devices exist in the Department, covering a wide range of frequencies (10-6 to 200 Hz) and temperature (-150°C to 500°C), suitable for determination of mechanical relaxations in polymers, blends and composites in flexural, shear and extensional modes. They include: Rheometrics Mark IV DMTA, a Rheometrics Mk II DMTA (used with torsion braid for determining critical changes in polymerising polymer systems such as gelation and vitrification) and a Perkin Elmer DMA7. The latter is useful in that it can also measure thermal expansion, and the relaxation temperatures of polymers with very small sample sizes. Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility (including Atom Probe Field Ion Microscopy)Associate Professor Jo Etheridge The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy MCEM currently supports two transmission electron microscopes (TEM), two scanning electron microscopes (SEM), a three-dimensional atom probe, a combined low-energy electron microscope-molecular beam epitaxy system as well as a broad range of instrumentation for sample preparation and image analysis. Two new field-emission gun TEMs, one with probe and image Cs corrector, and a FEG-SEM with EBSD have been purchased and will be installed in 2007/2008. Equal Channel Angular Extrusion Machine - ECAE -machineDr R. Lapovok and Dr P.F. ThomsonA major facility for equal angular extrusion of sections up to 20mmx20mm against back-pressure is available. The ECAE machine consists of a hydraulic unit of double action, Computer control system, hydraulic control system, horizontal table with modular dies arrangements. The dies are designed with changeable inserts to provide different angle for extrusion such as 90, 120 and 150. The machine can apply forward loading up to 500 kN and a back pressure up to 250kN using square bars of 20x20 mm cross section. Small press rigs for equal channel angular extrusion and equal channel angular drawing are available. Further major facilities for equal channel angular processing are presently being commissioned.
Fatigue TestingThe new rig is a MTS 858 table top servohydraulic fatigue device. It has a load capability of 15kN and hydraulic grips rated to 25kN suitable for round, square or flat samples. A dynamic extensometer is available along with fully automated data acquisition and a low cycle fatigue software package capable of constant amplitude tests in load, strain or plastic strain between 0.00001Hz and 12Hz. Fluorescence SpectroscopyUV-vis spectroscopy Friction TestingAssociate Professor G.H. EdwardThe coefficient of friction of polymers measured against themselves, or against other material surfaces can be accurately determined using a moving table/ fixed sled friction tester. A sled of known weight is held fixed while a moving table is dragged underneath it, and the force needed to hold the sled stationary is monitored This is the same as apparatus commonly in use in Industry to characterise packaging films prior to their use on automated packaging lines. Gas PermeabilityDr. J. Habsuda and Prof. G.P. Simon
Gel Permeation ChromatographyProfessor W.D. CookOur Department uses non-aqueous gel permeation chromatography (Shimadzu) to characterize the molecular weight and level of branching of oligomers and polymers. The equipment uses refractive index as a mass detector and a combined light scattering unit and intrinsic viscosity detector (Viscotek) to obtain absolute molecular weight and branching. The instrument is being used for routine molecular weight determination, for the investigation of molecular weight distributions during gelation of thermosets and for studies of hyperbranched polymers and dendrimers. Hardness testingProf. Y.-B. ChengThere are a number of hardness testers in the Department.
NEW: Duramin A300 Hardness tester. Yeannette Lizama
Nanohardness Testing
Heat Treatment RoomMr. I. KozickiA range of furnaces and methods of heat treatment available are listed below. Muffle Furnaces
Salt Bath Furnaces
Fluidizing Bed Furnaces
Drop Down Furnace
Laboratory Oven
Air Circulation Furnace
Oil Bath Furnaces
High Temperature FurnacesProfessor Y.-B.Cheng The Department has a number of high temperature furnaces for materials processing and heat-treatments in air, vacuum and inert atmosphere.
Infrared AnalysisDr J.S. ForsytheMid-infrared (4000 - 300 cm -1) analyses of materials are performed using a Perkin Elmer FTIR 1600 spectrometer. All materials possess a fingerprint spectrum, and when coupled with an extensive library of spectra of known materials, the technique becomes particularly useful in identifying unknown specimens. The FTIR is accessorised with an Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) attachment which allows mid-infrared characterisation of surfaces. A diffuse reflectance accessory is also available and is widely used to obtain mid-infrared spectra of powdered materials. A Specac heating cell is used to conduct iso and non-isothermal heat treatments making it useful to monitor in situ reacting systems eg. polymerisations and degradation processes. A Perkin Elmer GX FTIR near-infrared (NIR 15000 - 4000 cm -1) spectrometer is used to investigate overtone vibrations, making it extremely useful to perform transmission spectral acquisitions on much thicker samples between glass windows. The NIR spectrometer is also accessorised with a heating cell allowing, in situ, reactions to be monitored. The NIR is coupled with fibre optic sensors which allows remote sensing to be performed eg. monitoring the cure in thick composite components. Instrumented Impact TesterProfessor W.D. Cook (Radmana) Prof. G.P. Simon (Instron) This equipment (Radmana (ICI) Instrumented Impact Tester) records the force-deflection characteristics of a sample under fast impact conditions (up to 4m/s) at a range of temperatures (-50 to 100°C). Impact modes include Charpy, Izod and falling dart and allows the determination of parameters such as peak force, energy to peak and energy to break. The equipment is most commonly used for comparing room temperature and sub-ambient toughness and for determining the brittle-ductile temperature. NEW: Linkam Optical Shear CellThe Department has also recently acquired a Linkam Optical Shear Cell used to measure the effects of shear on the solidification of polymer materials, in order to better understand polymer processes, particularly injection moulding. The cell can be used for optical characterization, but can also be used in a synchrotron x ray beam for more detailed experiments. Multi-nuclear Solid State NMR Spectroscopy and Pulsed Field Gradient DiffusionProfessor M. ForsythTwo Bruker spectrometers using 7.1 Tesla magnets and operating at 300MHz for 1H exist within the Department. One of these is state-of-the-art Avance 300 with the capability of running from below -100°C up to 150°C routinely and up to 300øC using a purpose built high temperature 4mm MAS probe. The second machine is a modified Bruker CXP run via a Tecmag interface and using a simple MacNMR software package. This is ideal for student training on the nuts and bolts of NMR spectroscopy. A number of probes are available including : 7mm MAS, 2 x 4mm MAS (allowing the range of temperatures to be accessed), 5mm transverse static, 10mm transverse static and several other modified static multi- nuclear probes. In addition to the basic spectrometer, a diffusion accessory is available using gradients of greater than 1kG/cm and for nuclei including 1H, 7Li, 19F, 23Na and 13C. Diffusion measurements can be performed over a range of temperatures -80°C to +80°C (although it is anticipated that the upper temperature range will soon be extended to +150°C). Both liquid and solid samples can be measured with this set up. Samples need to be in somewhat shortened 5mm regular NMR tubes. These instruments are used to characterize both structure and transport in solid materials using simple spectral detection as well as relaxation and diffusion measurements. Typical samples include polymeric materials, ceramics, glasses, gels, coatings, inorganic and organic compounds and some metal alloys. In the case of MAS spectra, samples are run in 4mm zirconia rotors (approximately 15mm in length). In case of static experiments samples can be enclosed (and sealed if necessary) in the appropriate sized glass or quartz tube, depending on the size of the probe coil. NMR spectroscopy is especially useful in the case of amorphous or poorly crystalline materials since it is capable of yielding information relating to local structure and dynamics. Measurement of magnetic fields, mechanical vibrations and acousticsThe Spicer Consulting SC11 kit allows the measurement and logging of AC/quasi DC/DC magnetic fields, mechanical vibrations and acoustics with high sensitivity and accuracy. The kit, which runs through a laptop computer, comes equipped with a 3-axis Magnetic Field Sensor (SC20/AC) with a sensitivity 100 nG, a one axis MEDA flux gate magnetometer for DC/quasiDC/AC field measurement with 100 nG sensitivity, a Wilcoxon 731A Accelerometer for vibration measurement down to 7 µm/s2 RMS and a B&K 4190/2669L microphone with a low end noise limit of 20 dB. Mechanical and Tensile testingAssociate Professor G.H. EdwardMost of the mechanical testing in the Department is performed on the Instron screw driven 10 tonne machine. This tester is capable of performing tensile, compressive and shear tests to yield, characterising the fracture toughness of materials, measuring the modulus (extensometers are available), and a host of other tasks. Environmental cabinets are available which can be used to test at temperatures from 50 below ambient to well above ambient. Special furnaces to test metals in the creep range also can be used. (See also "MTS Hydraulic Testing Machines") Melt blending, Compounding and ExtrusionAssociate Professor G.H. EdwardThe Department has a Haake Mini-Lab Micro Rheology Compounder (for twin screw mixing of small amounts of materials) and a DSM Mini-injection moulder. Polymer melts can be blended on a Haake machine, which can mix small samples in batch form and larger amounts continuously using a single screw extruder. Compounding, incorporation of fillers, and the like can also be performed on the Haake. Viscosity can also be measured using a slit die geometry and pressure transducers directly in the slit die wall. Large scale injection moulding can be performed with the Battenfeld injection moulder. The Department also has a Haake MiniLab Deuce capable of twin screw blending a few grams of materials ina recirculating fashion. This extrudate can then be directly fed into a DSM mini injection molder to produce dogbone tensile samples. Metallographic Preparation RoomMr. I. Kozicki1.Specimen Sectioning Accutom 50 Accutom ** Buehler sectioning machine Other sectioning equipment (available in workshop) 2. Specimen Mounting b. Cold mounting - Epovac 3. Grinding and polishing a. Mechanical Polishing - NEW: Struers Letropol-5 Electropolisher Sample is placed on the polishing table and a pre-defined voltage range is scanned to determine the current density. This density is used to define the correct voltage for both polishing and etching. Short polishing time and maximum reproducibility. Advanced cooling control, polishing at sub-zero temperatures. SEMI-AUTOMATIC POLISHING MANUAL GRINDING MANUAL POLISHING Other equipment in the lab include On the other side of the lab, there is Mounting Press Full Automatic (Dual Arms) "Struers" Semi-automatic "Struers" Polishing 230mm DIA DOUBLE WHEEL "STRUERS" 2 of a 200mm DIA DOUBLE WHEEL "STRUERS" + "LECO" A Struers semi-automatic polishing facility is available for polishing materials under a controlled load, grinding/polishing time, rate of lubricant addition, rotational wheel speed and grinding/polishing surface. This provides the facility for reproducibility and polishing of up to 6 samples at any one time. With control of the above parameters, a controlled layer thickness can be removed from the material. (Dr. K. Gross) Sample Mounting VACUUM - IMPREGNATION COLD MOUNTING APPARATUS "STRUERS" MTS hydraulic testing machinesAssociate Professor C.H.J. DaviesTwo MTS hydraulic testing machines are available for use. One is equipped with hydraulic grips and is suitable for fatigue testing at low to moderate speeds at room temperatures. The second machine is a high temperature test rig with the capacity to run at a ram speed approaching 1m/s, and can be used in compression and tension. Niton Portable X-ray analyser Niton XL3t 900 He Purged Portable X-ray Analyser OPAL Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) equipmentAssociate Professor C.H.J. DaviesEBSD is used to map the orientation of individual grains, or locations within a grain. An automated version of the Oxford Instruments OPAL EBSD equipment is attached to a JEOL 840A SEM in the electron microscopy centre. As part of the system a Vanguard camera is available to capture backscattered electron images. Proprietary software has been developed to distinguish recrystallized from unrecrystallized grains in metals, to map grain and subgrain boundaries, and to measure grain and subgrain sizes all according to texture class and in a form which can be read by standard graphing software packages. Optical microscopy: image capture and analysis.Dr Chris HutchinsonThree optical light microscopes are equipped with CCD cameras to allow the capture of high resolution images. The computers to which the cameras are attached have installed on them the Adobe Photoshop image processing plug-ins written specifically for quantitative materials analysis and SPOT analysis respectively. USB Microscopes Ten DinoLite hand-held digital with Mixscope software (MacOSX) or TLI software (PC) – site licences for these allow use on any number of computers Optical Profiler Veeco NT1100 Optical Profilometer Raman Analysis Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer with NXR FT-Raman module Refractometer Rudolf Research Analytical J357 Automatic Refractometer RheologyProfessor W.D. CookThe Department has the rheometers (Anton Parr Physica MCR501, Rheometrics ARES, Bohlin CS50 and Contraves Rheomat 20). These instruments permit the measurement of steady shear and dynamic viscosity and modulus, stress relaxation, creep and normal stresses as a function of temperature, time and strain, shear rate and history for polymer melts (up to 550°C) and polymerizing fluids (via disposable plates).Several of the units can be used to undertake photopolymerization during rheological measurements and the Physica unit can also perform angular light scattering measures during shear. This equipment is currently being used to characterize the rheology of polymer melts, hyperbranched polymers and thermosetting resins. Rolling millDr P.F. ThomsonWe are equipped with a 4-high rolling mill, with 60mm x 200mm work rolls, available for rolling non-ferrous metals. The maximum roll-gap is approximately 25mm. Coilers and uncoilers are available. Hot rolling is possible, but there is no provision for heating the rolls. The mill is not fully instrumented, but measurement of hold down force is available. Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) model Agilent 5500Can be used as a traditional Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and a traditional Scanning Sheet Metal testerDr P.F. ThomsonA 20,000 kgf Roell & Korthaus sheet metal tester is available. The compound (hydraulic) cylinder provides for application of hold-down loads up to 80 kgf. Present tooling provides for the Swift deep drawing test (with 30 and 50 mm punches and various punch and die profile radii) and the Erichsen and Fukui tests. There is also tooling for drawing cups, 40 mm square. Heated dies permit performance of the Swift test at temperatures up to 600°C. Blanks up to 115mm dia and 1.2mm thick (mild steel) or 1.8mm (aluminium) can be accepted by the existing tooling. Superplastic FormingA press for superplastic forming of blanks up to 800mm x 250mm at temperatures up to approximately 550°C under a gas atmosphere is available. The platen temperature is zoned, each of the three zones being controlled to ±5°C. Maximum forming pressure is 3.0MPa, with a back pressure up to 2.5MPa. Thermal ConductivityProfessor G.P. SimonA new method capable of rapidly measuring thermal conductivity in polymers, composites, ceramics, adhesives and foams at room temperature is the TC probe by Mathis Instruments. It is an extremely fast technique compared to conventional thermal conductivity measurement and since the probe measures 2-dimensional temperature change, is able to quantify anisotropy, as may arise in fibre composites and aligned polymer systems. The probe is 2 inches in length and, although flat surfaces are preferred, can make measurements on rougher surfaces if a thermally-conductive paste is used. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)Professor G.P. SimonThe Department has a Settaram TGA92 device capable of going from 40 - 1600°C. They measure mass loss as a function of ramping temperature, or for samples being held isothermally. A variety of atmospheres can be used including argon, nitrogen, air and helium. As well as looking for degradation of materials, it can be used to determine solids content in a polymer composite and amounts of moisture or other plasticiser in materials. Water Permeability AnalysisMOCON Permatran-W Model 3/33 Water Vapour Permeability device Advanced instruments to determine the water vapour permeability/transmission rates of flat films or finished packages. Currently, the module is set to be used only for flat films testing. Measurements of water barrier properties can be performed under desired conditions and their combinations by altering variables such as temperature, relative humidity and flows. Water Uptake DeviceDr. Jana Habsuda and Professor G.P. Simon Cisorp Water Sorption Analyzer (from CI Electronics) This fully automated allows for gravimetric study of dynamic water sorption behaviour of solid materials at ambient pressures, operating temperature range 10 to 80ºC (temperature control resolution ±0.1ºC) and controlled relative humidity within 2-95% (%RH resolution 0.1%). The dual microbalance system (capacity up to 5g/balance) allows two samples being investigated simultaneously producing adsorption and desorption isotherms, kinetic and temperature data via a powerful PC-windows-based operating software, either at pre-programmed experimental conditions or with an option to make parameters changes during a test. X-ray diffractionRod Mackie and Professor Y.-B. ChengPhilips 1130 generator This equipment has a four window tube shield and is supplied with two goniometers, one for room temperature powder scans and one to house an Oxford cryostat for low temperature (down to 7 deg k) powder or liquid scans. Two proportional detectors on either goniometer collect the data. A monochromator is used on the low temperature goniometer. The goniometer equipment is automated using the Diffraction Technology motor driver hardware. Traces software is used for diffraction scan analysis. Scintag Pad5 generator This equipment has a four window tube shield and is supplied with one flat bed goniometer for room temperature scans, including powder (in air or vacuum) or solid samples. Various sample holders are available for general identification, precision lattice parameter scans, rocking curves, and crystal alignment. A solid state Ge detector collects the data. Scintag software is supplied to drive the goniometer and analyse the scan data. Spellman DF3 generator This equipment supplies the High Tension for a dedicated Residual Stress diffractometer. A large flat bed goniometer is supplied to hold small or large solid samples. A position sensitive detector collects data over a 2theta range of seven degrees. The automated system scans nine different theta positions of the sample and profiles are displayed on MCA software. In house software is supplied to analyse the profiles and determine the sample Residual Stress result. Philips 1729 generator This equipment has a four window tube shield and is mainly used for single crystal alignment. Back reflection, forward transmission, Debye Scherrer cameras and two circle goniometers are available. X-ray Diffraction Analytical Capacity Chemical analysis of solid or powder specimens including :- |