Equipment & techniques
For our Analysis & Advice projects we can make use of our own infrastructure and that of the TU/e.
Below you can find an overview of (part of) the equipment and techniques available at PTG/e, including a brief description of the equipment or technique.
You can also download a pdf overview of available analysis equipment and techniques.
category
Technique
Confocal raman spectroscopy
- Characterization
Brand
Raman spectroscopy is similar to infrared spectroscopy in a way that both techniques are used to identify unknown substances. Raman spectroscopy uses a laser to interact with an unknown substance. Confocal Raman microscopy combines the Raman spectroscopy with an optical microscope, which provides extra spatial (vertical and horizontal) resolution of samples. Therefore, this technique is especially useful for microscopic defect analysis. Analyses can be performed in 1D, 2D and 3D with spot sizes of less than 1,0 μm.
Contact angle measurement
- Characterization
Brand
Contact angle measurements can be done on flat surfaces to determine its hydrophobic or hydrophilic behavior. A total of 10 drops will be placed on the to be measured surface which are then imaged by a camera. Via the software the contact angle at the left and right size is than calculated, and gives an average over the 10 droplets. With contact angle measurements a variation of +/- 3° in between measurements is within the tolerance limits.
Dektak
- Characterization
Brand
Surface profilers are commonly used for measuring thin film thickness, and surface roughness and form in applications ranging from educational research verification to semiconductor process control.
The tip of a stylus gently moves over the surface of a flat surface in one line, leading to a two-dimensional surface profile. When multiple lines next to each other are combined a three-dimensional plot can be derived and analyzed.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
- Characterization
Brand
DSC is used to examine the thermal transitions in a polymeric material (e.g. melting point, Tg and crystallization).
Measurements are carried out with a TA Instruments Q2000, which has a temperature range of -80 to 300 °C.
A material sample of as little as 3 mg is sufficient for a measurement.
The results of a DSC measurement can for example be used to determine if a material melts and if so, when.
It can also be used to distinguish between a homopolymer, a copolymer and a blend.
Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA)
- Characterization
Brand
3 point bending
Tension film
Compression
DMTA is a technique used to analyse the viscoelastic behaviour of a material as a function of temperature or frequency. The DMTA measurement results are used for determining thermal transisions suchs as the glass transition temperature (Tg). A DMTA diagram shows the stifness (storage and loss modulus) as a function of temperature.
Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Characterization
Brand
Material identification
Gas Chromatography combined with Mass Spectrometry is a way to identify or quantify (semi) volatile compounds. The sample is injected into the GC-MS and separated based on boiling point and affinity with the column. The separated components are than detected with a Mass Spectrometer resulting in a mass spectrum unique for a material. The obtained mass spectra are run through the NIST database to identify the detected components.