Tensile testing

The Materials Testing Lab is part of the Foundational Labs and contains all our facilities for the testing of materials, parts and products. These include e.g. tensile test benches for materials characterisation, UV lamps for accelerated aging of plastics, micro-test benches, ovens, and analysis equipment.

TA Instruments Q800 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer 1

  • 10-4 .. 18 N    (10-5 N resolution)
  • -10 .. 10 mm  (1 nm resolution)
  • -100 to 350°C (Liq. N2 cool)
  • 0.01..200 Hz  (Dynamic)

Modes: Dynamic, Force rate, strain rate, creep, relaxation
Non standard: compression disks, shear (3 mm diameter), 4 point bending, Sandwich beam shear, delamination tool, Controlled humidity environment

Typical use: Stress-Strain curve, creep and viscoelasticity of of small polymer samples 

TA Instruments Q5000 moisture uptake balance

  • 5 .. 90 °C
  • 0 .. 90 %RH, very stable
  • 10..100 mg , sensitivity: 0.1 mg
  • autosampler with 10 pans

Typical use: determination of amount of moisture absorbed in materials; diffusion coefficient 

Nicolet 6700 Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectro Photometer

  • mid IR, Near IR, Transmission, ATR
  • Used to study the conversion kinetics of thermoset polymers.

Typical use: determination of type and composition of polymer, works best for transparent polymers.

Other instuments

  • MTS-800 fatigue tester
  • Zwick tensile tester