MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION

SCANNING AUGER NANOPROBE (SAN)• Auger Electron Spectroscopy is the most widely used technique for surface analysis of conductive samples.Provideselementalinformationaboutthefirsttenatomiclayersofthesample• Unique capability of high resolution SEM imaging combined with Auger elemental analysis and mappinginthenanometerrange.Elementaldepthprofilesareadistinctadvantageofthesystem• Applications:thinfilmandinterfacialcomposition,failureanalysis,informationonthebondingstate ofmetalsandalloys,analysisofinterfaceboundaries(alloysandcoatings),materialsforreducing friction,lateralcompositionuniformityinthinfilms

X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROMETER (XPS)• X-RayPhotoelectronSpectroscopy(XPS)isoneofthemostextensivelyusedanalyticaltechniques due to its ability to analyze with high sensitivity the elemental composition and chemical bonding in the top 10 nm near the surface of the specimen• Applications:polymers,metals,ceramics,catalysts,corrosion,biomaterials,adhesion, semiconductors,dielectricmaterialselectronicspackaging,magneticmedia,thinfilmcoatings

MICRO COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (MICRO CT) SCANNER• X-raymicrocomputedtomography(MicroCT)isatechniqueusedtonondestructivelycharacterize material microstructure in three dimensions with micron level spatial resolution• Providesstunningreal3Dimagesforallmaterialsandsamplesbasedonabsorbingx-rayradiation• Applications:biomedicalresearch,materialscience,polymerscience,pharmaceuticaldrug developmentandmanufacturing,composites,dentalresearch,electroniccomponents,geology, zoology,botany,buildingmaterials,papermanufacturing

X-RAY DIFFRACTOMETER (XRD)• X-RayDiffraction(XRD)isanon-destructiveanalyticaltechniqueprovidinginformationaboutcrystal structure,chemicalcompositionandphysicalcharacteristicsofmaterialsandthinfilms• Applications:identificationandquantificationofthecrystallinephase,thinfilmthickness measurements,corrosion,nanomaterials,powders,materialsfortribologicalcontrol,biomaterials, thinpolymerfilms,thinfilmmultilayers,patternedfilms

RAMAN SPECTROMETER• Raman Spectroscopy is a non-destructive analytical technique which uses laser Raman scattering toprovidedetailedinformationaboutchemicalstructure,phaseandpolymorphism,crystallinityand molecularinteractions.Nosamplepreparationforliquids,powdersandfilms• TworesearchgradeconfocalRamanswithcomplementarycapabilities.Nosamplepreprequired• Applications:nanomaterials,carbonmaterials,graphene,polymers,corrosion,pharmaceuticals, semiconductors,forensics,biologyandmedicine,environmentalstudies

SMALL ANGLE X-RAY SCATTERING (SAXS)• Structureanalysisofcondensedmatterusingscatteringofafocusedx-raybeamafterpassing through the sample. Yields information on the sizes or shapes of particles with characteristic dimensionsofupto100nm,andontheinternalstructureofdisorderedorpartiallyorderedsystems• Applications:polymergelsandsoftmaterials,biocompatiblepolymers,pharmaceuticalmaterials (drugdelivery),food(emulsifiersandstabilizers),nano-sizedinorganicparticlesincosmetics,paintsor ceramics,nanocomposites,liquidcrystals,proteins,biologicalmembranes,buildingmaterials

NATIONAL POLYMER INNOVATION CENTER | Materials Characterization | Page 1

uakron.edu/npic

THIN FILM DEPOSITION SYSTEM• Physicalvapordepositionofthinfilms(thermalandbysputtering):metals,alloys,oxides• Precisioncontroloffilmthicknesswithquartzcrystalsensors• Performedinhighvacuumforfilmpurity• Applications:well-definedplanarmetalfilmsforcorrosionstudies,studiesofinterfacialinteractions, andprotectivepolymercoatings,depositiononvarioustypesofsubstrates,includingpolymers

IMAGING ELLIPSOMETER• Ellipsometrymeasureschangesinthepolarizationstateoflightwhenthebeamisreflectedfroma surface. Provides material dependent images based on changes in light polarization across a sample.• Applications:structureoforganiccoatingsandchangesduetocorrosion,changesincoatingswith exposuretohumidityandenvironmentalaging,graphene,polymers,solarcells,nanoparticles, hydrogels,self-assembledmonolayers(SAMs)

ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPE (AFM)• Three-dimensionalsurfacetopographicimaging.Imagingsurfaceroughness,electricalconductivity, capacitance,mechanicalparameters(modulus,hardness)andmagneticpropertiesarepossible• Applications:imagingofthinfilmsandcoatings,nanostructures,batteriesandenergystorage, biocompatibility,corrosionandantifouling,datastorage,optics,photovoltaics,semiconductorand microelectronicdevices,sensorsandactuators,tribology(hardness,lubrication,andwear).Imaging thestructureofbiologicalmolecules,cellularcomponents,cellsortissues

CONFOCAL LASER SCANNING MICROSCOPE (LEFT)• High resolution in-focus optical images from selected depths of transparent objects. 3D images.• Applications:colloidaldispersions,biologicaltissueimaging,biofilms,phaseseparationinbinary polymermixtures,micro-visualizationofcorrosion

MULTIPHOTON LASER SCANNING MICROSCOPE (RIGHT)• Opticallysectionthickbiologicalandothertransparentspecimens.3Dimageinthemicronrange.• Applications:neuroscience,cellbiology,biologicaltissueimaging,optimalforin-vivoobservation

CIRCULAR DICHROISM (CD) SPECTROMETER• CircularDichroismSpectroscopyisatechniquethatisusedtostudychiralmolecules(moleculesthat havetwomirrorimagestructures).InaCDspectrometer,theabsorptionofoppositelycircularly polarized light is used to analyze the vast majority of biological molecules which are chiral.• Applications: studies of large biological molecules - studies of secondary structure of proteins and DNA,developmentofnewpharmaceuticalproducts,biotechnology,medicine

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CONTACT US

Randy Marvel, Director, National Polymer Innovation Center330-972-6928|rmarvel@uakron.edu|uakron.edu/npic|240SForgeSt,Akron,OH44325

CollegeofPolymerScienceandPolymerEngineeringatTheUniversityofAkron

NANOINDENTER/NANOSCRATCH SYSTEM• Quantitatively characterize the mechanical properties of small volumes of material. Properties such as elasticmodulus,hardness,creep,stressrelaxation,andfracturetoughnessmeasuredatthenanoscale andmicroscale.Nanoscratchinguseslateralforcetoprobecoatingsandfilmadhesion• Applications:characterizationoforganic,inorganic,softorhardmaterialsandcoatingssuchasthin andmultilayerfilms,photoresists,paintsandcoatings,pharmaceuticals,metalsandmetaloxides, electronic/solar/semiconductor,polymers,glasses,ceramics,composites,biomaterials