Capabilities
Mechanical Characterization
Nanoindentation
Provides high-resolution (~1 µm) measurements of hardness and elastic modulus.
RR Moore
Fully reversed cyclic bending fatigue testing.
Indentation Fracture Resistance
Allows for the quantitative estimation of a material’s damage tolerance.
Contact Fatigue
Simulates repeated low-impact force, used for characterizing dental tissues, polymers, and ceramics.
Tension & Compression Testing
Conventional load frame testing for monotonic stress and strain measurements.
Single-filament Tension
Using custom-built load frame grips, we test the tensile strength of individual composite filaments used in 3D printing.
Nano-Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (nano-DMA)
High-resolution measurement of the viscoelastic response for softer materials, e.g. dentin, polymers.
Puncture testing
Testing protective capabilites of layered composites.
Structure and Composition
Scanning electron micrograph of an edge defect in an additively-manufactured titanium tensile coupon. Such micrographs provide insight into the defects present and what modes of failure may be instigated by them. Courtesy of J. Hatch.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Used for high resolution imaging of prepared and fractured surfaces.
Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)
Provides compositional information at the sub-micron scale, via SEM.
Fractography
Determining types and origins of failure. Metallographic preparation of surface for both SEM and Optical fractography.
Micro-Computed Tomography (µCT)
On-site systems are used for measuring porosity in titanium parts, while synchrotron sources reveal enamel structure in 3D.
Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) & Raman Spectroscopy
Using an incident laser and measuring the light that passes through or is scattered by a sample, certain characteristics and bonds of a material can be quantified.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
Provides chemical and structural (i.e. crystallinity) of polymers and polymer composites.
Additive Manufacturing
Titanium
Industrial powder bed fusion (both electron beam & laser systems).
Composite 3D Printing
Modified desktop system for printing continuous fiber reinforced filaments.
Advanced Composite Filament Production
Achieving carbon fiber loading of >50 vol.%
My heading is awesome
4-axis printer for complex geometries.
