Microstructural Investigation

• A Phillips (FEI) XL30 controlled pressure Scanning Electron Microscope with a HKL Nordlys Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) system
• A Jeol JSM 35C Scanning Electron Microscope with a Link Isis Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy unit.
• A Jeol JSM 6100 Scanning Electron Microscope with an Oxford Opal Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) system
• A Millbrook Instruments Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) unit
• A Reichert-Jung MEF3 Optical Microscope
• Digital image capture and image analysis software
• Several bench optical microscopes for routine investigations
• A metallographic preparation laboratory

Mechanical Testing

• Four laboratories dedicated to high temperature creep testing of metals, ceramics and polymers. These include several full size constant-stress creep machines and eight specialised machines for creep testing miniature disk specimens that weigh less than one gram. Tests can be carried out in inert gas environments.
• A servo-mechanical laboratory containing machines equipped for low and high cycle fatigue at ambient and elevated temperatures. Some of these machines can also perform tension-torsion testing.
• A thermo-mechanical testing machine equipped with rapid induction heating to allow thermal fatigue tests to be carried out.
• A single-shot servo-hydraulic machine, capable of high rates of compressive deformation, for studying forging of cylindrical specimens with an axi-symmetric stress state.
• A unique custom-built apparatus called the Advanced Semi-Solid Elongation Test (ASSET) for studying the mechanical behaviour of alloys at the extreme temperatures above and just below the solidus. This has a temperature capability of 1400°C and employs a non-contact optical strain measurement system based on digital linescan cameras.

Thermal Treatment

• The Marchwood Laboratory houses two Gleeble machines (models 3500 and 1500) capable of heating specimens by direct resistance heating at rates in excess of 10000 °C per second. The combined cost of this equipment was in the region of £ 0.5 million. These machines can be used to subject materials to a pre-determined temperature-time profile (such as that in a weld heat affected zone) and simultaneously apply compressive or tensile stresses. Tests can be carried out in air, an inert gas environment or a vacuum. For further details please contact Dr Jonathan James or Dr George Fourlaris.
• Also in the Marchwood Laboratory is a range of creep testing machines, including those for testing miniature specimens.
• Several conventional furnaces are also available in a dedicated laboratory with a range of size capacities, temperature capabilities and inert gas/vacuum options.

Computing

A range of software and associated expertise is available for modelling processes such as forging and casting, together with commercial CAD and FEM analysis packages. The centre has several high-specification PCs attached to the University network.

Corrosion and Coatings

• 5 Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique apparatus (SVET)
• 3 Scanning Kelvin Probe apparatus (SKP)
• Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
• Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS)
• 3 Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) analysers, one with a microscope attachment for analysis of chemical composition
  
• Potentiostats and equipment for EIS, polarisation and cyclic voltammetry
• Electrogenerated chemiluminescence apparatus (ECL)
• Calibrated light sources for photovoltaic development
  

Miscellaneous

Additional equipment includes:

• An infra-red thermal imaging camera.
• A laser speckle-pattern unit for analysis of surface deformation.
• Two Pilamec vibration ball mills for production of powders, together with associated sieving apparatus.

Technical Backup

The centre has access to a highly skilled team of technicians and fabrication workshops with state of the art CNC machines for production of specimens and other components to a high tolerance.