Physical Characterisation

Physical Characterisation concentrates its research on ceramics and powders:

• Particle sizes of powders according to the 'Static Light Scattering' and the 'Dynamic Light Scattering' methods on particles between 0.01 and 600μm.
• Porositymeasurements through 'Mercury Porosimetrie' and 'Nitrogengas Adsorbtion'. Pore volumes up to 1cm³ and pore seizes between 50μm and 2nm. Minimal detectable specific surface 1m²/g.
• Dilatometry, longitudinal distention and shrinkage due to sintering with a resolution of 1.25 nm on a length of 25 mm and at a maximum temperature of 1500°C.
• Differential Thermal Analysis and gravimetrics (DTA/TGA). Measurement of enthalpy changes up to a maximum temperature of 1400ºC. Melting, phase-transitions and chemical reactions up to 2000ºC and 1500ºC in, respectively, an inert and an oxidating atmosphere.

For the characterisation of raw materials for ceramic materials and powders for thermal spraying particle size measurement equipment is available with which particles as from 20 nm can be measured. For the measurement of pores in, for example, sintered ceramics, equipment is available for the measurement of pores as from 0.3 nm. Exotherme and endotherme reactions, due to phase changes and other physical reactions are measurable up to a temperature of 1500ºC. The thermal distention of materials can be determined up to a maximum expansion of 4 mm.

Besides characterisation with microscopical and physical techniques, materials are also characterised on their mechanical characteristics; (pull-, push- and bendstrength) up to a load of 100 kN, hardness by Macro and Micro Vickers, Knoop, Brinell, up to a load of 30 Kg and Rockwell up to a load of 150 Kg.