Background

The ability to characterise materials, physically and chemically, enables a greater understanding of materials’ properties and behaviour. This requires not only state of the art equipment but also the experts to design and lead the investigative process and interpret the data.

Analytical techniques can aid in both understanding materials’ performance issues and in developing new materials for specific property requirements.

Technology Overview

Brunel’s Experimental Techniques Centre (ETC) provides a unique and bespoke service of problem definition, experimental design, measurement, data analysis and interpretation. It combines the expertise of the University’s many academics and a suite of techniques and equipment including:

• Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Transmission Electron Microscopy
• Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Energy Dispersive X‑ray analysis
• X‑ray diffraction
• Single crystal X‑ray diffraction with variable temperature capability
• Thermal Analysis ‑ DSC, TGA, DMA
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with imaging capability
• Raman spectroscopy
• UV/VIS/NIR Spectroscopy
• Atomic Force Microscopy
• Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy
• Light microscopy
• Contact angle measurement

Benefits

The combination of the analytical experts and a suite of world class techniques and equipment gives ETC the ability to characterise and understand the performance of materials across a wide range of sectors. Many of the analytical services are UKAS accredited providing further confidence in the results obtained.

Applications

These techniques permit characterisation and failure analysis of novel and conventional metallic materials, polymers, ceramics, composites, geological samples and cementitious materials. Examples include:

• nano‑particles to develop sustainable synthesis methods;
• heavy metals in biological systems to develop phytoremediation processes;
• novel composite materials to optimise their manufacturing;
• stereochemistry in pharmaceuticals to optimise their manufacture;
• chemical and phase mapping of metals and alloys to create new materials;
• detection and identification of asbestos;
• micro‑plastics in water systems to determine their abundance.

Further details: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Institutes/Institute-of-Materials-and-Manufacturing/Materials-Characterisation-and-Processing/ETC

Opportunity

Brunel’s Experimental Techniques Centre is looking for customers who will benefit from Brunel’s materials characterisation service, use of this state of the art equipment on a one‑off or regular basis, or training in instrument use and data analysis.