Research Laboratories

Magnetic Properties and Measurement

A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) with low and high temperature stages (liquid helium to 1000°C) and a hysterisgraph are available for characterizing "hard" and "soft" magnetic materials. Also, a magnetorheological viscometer is available for measuring the mechanical properties of magnetorheological fluids.

Mechanical Testing Laboratory

The Mechanical Testing Laboratory includes two hydraulic MTS machines. One has a high temperature capability for hot deformation simulation, and the other is an MTS 880, 20,000-pound frame with hydraulic grips and temperature capability up to 1000°C. Two screw-driven machines are available, a 50,000-pound Instron TT and a 10,000-pound ATS tabletop tester (this machine has fixtures for loading in tension, compression, and bending). The facility also includes several hardness testers, including one Brinell, two Rockwell, one Rockwell Superficial, and one Vickers, plus a new Leco M-400 G microhardness tester. Two impact testers are available—one with 100 foot-per-pound and the other with 265 foot-per-pound capacity. An ultrasonic elastic modulus tester is also available.

Mechanics of Active Materials Laboratory

The Mechanics of Active Materials Laboratory focuses on the experiment- and physics-based constitutive modeling of smart materials, with a strong secondary emphasis on applications. A smart (or active) material is any material that can transform energy from one domain to another, akin to how man-made motors transform electrical energy into mechanical work. Dr. Lisa Weiland is directing the development of this new laboratory, in which active materials such as ferroelectric ceramics, electroactive and photoactive polymers, and nastic materials will be considered both experimentally and computationally. Experimental studies focus on developing characterization methods for novel materials for which there are no established procedures. Computational studies generally focus on nano length scale active response as a means to anticipate macro length scale response. The goal of research is to understand the multi-scale physics responsible for the 'smart' behavior observed in these materials in order to expand viable engineering applications which range from shape morphing structures and bio-sensors to fuel cell vehicles.

Learn more about the Mechanics of Active Materials Laboratory.

Materials Micro-Characterization Laboratory (MMCL)

The Materials Micro-Characterization Laboratory (MMCL) houses instrumentation for X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and scanning probe/stylus microscopy (STM, AFM, MFM), together with a range of sample preparation equipment. This facility and its staff offer access to instrumentation and expertise for the structural, compositional, and chemical characterization of materials down to near-atomic scale.

Metals Processing Laboratory

The Metals Processing Laboratory includes a cold rolling mill and various muffle and recirculating air furnaces for heat treatment of metals and alloys. Metal melting and casting facilities include air, inert atmosphere, and vacuum facilities. A special arc melting unit also provides a facility for preparing buttons and rapidly solidified ribbons.

Micro/Bio Fluidics Laboratory

The Micro/Bio Fluidics Laboratory is primarily devoted to (1) engineering and developing a variety of micro/bio fluidic sensors, actuator and integrated systems that enable us to handle a wide range of micro/bio objects with more direct access and to (2) studying science and engineering associated with them. In particular, most research activities are heavily involved with micro fabrications. Available equipment includes a high-power florescent microscope, a low-power microscope, optical benches, a parylene coater, computers, data acquisition systems, high-voltage amplifiers, a conductivity meter, arbitrary waveform generators, MEMS device design software, and so on.

Learn more about the Micro/Bio Fluidics Laboratory.

Micromechanics and Nano-science Laboratory

The Micromechanics and Nano-Science Laboratory is a modern facility with cutting-edge technology for the study of micromechanics and physics of micrometer and nanometer scaled structures and materials. The laboratory contains atomic force microscopes and a nano-indentation testing facility, which provide a capability of measuring load vs. displacement at scales of 10-9 Newton versus nanometer, nano-scaled adhesion, and micro-mechanical behavior for advanced materials, including semiconductors and biosystems.

Microsensor and Microactuator Laboratory

With supports from federal funding agents, the current and future research activities conducted in the Microsensor and Microactuator Laboratory can be grouped in following closely related areas.

1. Fabrication and property characterization of piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and ferroelectric thin films and thick films
2. On-chip integrated microsensors and microactuators that are based on piezoelectric AlN, ZnO, and PZT thin film materials
3. Acoustic wave devices, including thin film bulk acoustic wave devices for RF and microwave frequency control application and acoustic wave sensors
4. Piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramics, and polymers such as PZT, PMN-PT, PVDF and copolymers, electro active elastomers, magnetostrictive materials, multiferroic materials, and other functional materials for transducers and biomedical applications
5. Fabrication and characterization of semiconductor nanowires, nanoparticles, and multifunctional nanocomposites. The laboratories accommodate extensive fabrication and characterization capabilities for functional materials and devices.

Learn more about the Microsensor and Microactuator Laboratory.

Optical Metallography Laboratories

Complete facilities are available for the preparation of metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials for optical techniques. Preparation facilities include grinding and polishing machines, electropolishing and etching apparatus, microtome, and thin section apparatus. Imaging facilities include microscopes for examination and recording in bright-field, dark-field, polarized, transmitted, and reflected light and in differential interference contrast. The metallography facility has acquired two new optical microscopes, including Olympus BX60M Upright and Olympus PM63 Inverted microscopes with motorized X-Y stage. Digital and high-resolution black-and-white and color video cameras, image grabbers, and image processing and analysis software are available.

Oxidation Laboratory

In the Oxidation Laboratory, various apparati are available for high-temperature oxidation and corrosion experiments, including controlled atmosphere microbalances, cyclic oxidation furnaces, and acoustic emission apparatus.

Laboratories

A - J

• Atom Probe Field Ion Microscopy Laboratory
• Bio Tissues and Complex Fluids Laboratory
• Ceramics Processing Laboratory
• Composite Materials Laboratory
• Computational Transport Phenomena Laboratory
• Electrical Properties and Dielectric Measurements
• Gas Turbine Heat Transfer Laboratory
• John A. Swanson Micro/Nanotechnology Laboratory
• Joint Replacement Biomechanics Laboratory

M - O

• Magnetic Properties and Measurement
• Mechanical Testing Laboratory
• Mechanics of Active Materials Laboratory
• Materials Micro-Characterization Laboratory (MMCL)
• Metals Processing Laboratory
• Micro/Bio Fluidics Laboratory
• Micromechanics and Nano-science Laboratory
• Microsensor and Microactuator Laboratory
• Optical Metallography Laboratories
• Oxidation Laboratory

S - X

• Scanning Probe Microscopy Laboratory
• SEM Laboratory
• Sound, Systems and Structures Laboratory
• TEM Laboratory
• Thermal and Chemical Analysis
• Thermal Science and Imaging Laboratory
• Vibration and Control Laboratory
• XRD Laboratory