ACES Equipment in Materials Engineering

AFM, Molecular Imaging

Cecilia.Lalander@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5343
Udo.Bach@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4924
           
The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) uses the interactions between a tip and a sample to be imaged to create a topographic illustration of the surface of the sample. Gives an accurate height measurement of the surface features, with a resolution in the nm range. Excellent for imaging organic compounds on inorganic substrates.

Argon Electrochemical Drybox,

Patrick.Howlett@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 3247
Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5503

Features oxygen, water and nitrogen free environment especially suitable for handling reactive metals (e.g. lithium) and ionic liquids. The drybox is connected to a channel from the VMP allowing electrochemical tests inside the drybox.

Con-focal Microscope, Leica

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Perkin Elmer

Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5503
Steven.Pas@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 1824

Differential scanning calorimetry is a thermal analytical technique in which the differences in heat flow (energy) into a substance and reference are measured as a function of temperature while the two are subjected to a controlled temperature program.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), TA

Katerina.Johansson@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4535
Jelena Turanjanin@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4535

In addition, Monash has available a TA DSC for studying thermal events.

Densitometer DMA 5000

Gary.Annat@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 990 54535
Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5503

Density is the relationship "mass per unit volume" of a substance. The most commonly derived reading from density is specific gravity, which, though dependent on temperature and reference material, can be loosely defined as the measured density divided by the density of water. Various concentrations can be calculated from the density and specific gravity.
The MacFarlane group have recently purchased an Anton Parr DMA5000 series density meter. This instrument allows you to measure in the temp range of 10 - 90^oC and is fully automated

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS),
HP 4284A & Solartron DI 1296

Steven.Pas@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 1824
Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5503

The electronic properties of a system can be defined in terms of its ability to store and transfer charge (i.e. its capacitance and conductance). The use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) records the response of the system to a small applied perturbation (i.e. AC signal), over a pre-determined frequency range. The applied AC voltage and the resultant AC current are measured and the impedance calculated (Z* = V / I). The technique is non-destructive and is particularly sensitive to small changes in the system.

FTIR microscope

Standard FTIR facility extended with a FTIR Microscope and single reflection ATR. The FTIR Microscope allows measurements on areas in the 100mm² range and with the ATR measurements on thin-films down to 100nm is possible.

Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE) Cl-, I- & Br-

Katerina.Johansson@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4535
Suzie.Tan@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4599

An Ion-selective electrode (ISE) is a transducer (sensor) which converts the activity of a specific ion dissolved in a solution into an electrical potential which can be measured by a voltmeter or pH meter. The voltage is theoretically dependent on the logarithm of the ionic activity, according to the Nernst equation.

Karl Fischer, MEP

Gary.Annat@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4535
Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5503
Karl Fischer titration is a widely used analytical method for quantifying water content in a variety of products.

Microcapillary electrochemical cell

Patrick.Howlett@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 3247
Wayne.Neil@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 3698

Nitrogen Gloveboxes

Peter.Newman@sci.monash.edu.au,
03 9905 5503
Bronya.Clare@sci.monash.edu.au ,
03 9905 4599

Storage , Handling of moisture or air sensative compounds. Used for prepration of ionic liquids.

Profilometer Veeco 150

Andrew.Nattestad@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4924
Simon.Thompson@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4924

The 150 is able to give very detailed information about the profile of a materials surface, allowing thickness measurements down to several nanometers to be easily obtained. The stated resolution of this machine is 6Å. It can accommodate samples with overall dimensions of up to 150mm in diameter and 100mm thick. The stylus system will provide a good response at forces as low as 1mg. This equipment is user friendly and can be learnt in a short space of time.

Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Bjorn.Winther-Jensen@eng.monash.edu.au,
03 9905 5343

The QCM allows measurements of changes of mass in the 10ng range on thin films. The QCM is connected to the VMP Potentiostat making it possible to measure weight changes under changing electrochemical conditions.

Solid State/Diffusion NMR, Bruker

Maria.Forsyth@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4939
Jenny.Pringle@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 8387

Solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) is a  technique that allows study of certain elements, such as Carbon,  Fluorine, Phosphorus and Silicon, within solid materials. The material is placed in a small rotor and spun inside the magnetic field of the spectrometer, and this technique can then be used to get structural information about the solid material relating to the element being studied e.g. the different types of carbon species present.

This technique is extremely valuable for getting structural information for solid samples. For example we can study samples such as polymers, cement, functionalized nanoparticles, inorganic or organic materials.

The NMR at Monash also has a diffusion probe. Diffusion NMR is a very valuable but rare technique that allows measurement of the diffusion rate of ions with samples. For example, we can measure the diffusion rate of lithium ions in materials such as ionic liquids or plastic crystals.

Sun Simulator, Oriel

Andrew.Nattestad@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4924
Simon.Thompson@eng.monash.edu.au , 03 9905 4924
           
The solar simulator testing equipment at Monash is based around an Oriel sun simulator with a 1000W Xe source and an AM1.5 filter. This is connected to a Keithly 2400 source meter, controlled by ‘home brew’ code written in lab view. The set up includes a filter wheel in order to test at different light intensities, as well as a heating block for elevated temperature testing. Testing software includes I-V curve measurements, decay testing and stability testing.

Viscometer, Anton Paar

Kevin.Fraser@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 4535
Patrick.Howlett@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 3247

Viscosity is the degree to which a fluid resists flow under an applied force. It describes the internal friction of a moving fluid.

VMP2/Z multichannel Potentiostat , PAR

Patrick.Howlett@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 3247
Bjorn.Winther-Jensen@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5343

The VMP is a 14-channel potentiostat with build-in impedance spectroscopy. The equipment is a general tool for corrosion and electrochemical experiments. 12 channels are equipped with faraday cages with air and nitrogen supply, one channel is reserved for a Microcapillary electrochemical cell set-up and one channel is connected to the Ar drybox. 

4-point Conductivity  Probe, Jandel

Jenny.Pringle@sci.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 8387
Bjorn.Winther-Jensen@eng.monash.edu.au, 03 9905 5343

The four point conductivity probe allows the conductivity or resistivity of solid samples to be determined. There are four tips, with the probes arranged in either a square or linear array. This apparatus is ideal for measuring the conductivity of small solid samples, powders pressed into pellets, or materials coated onto substrates e.g. conducting polymers coated onto plastic.