Sectional Facilities Central Materials Characterization Facility (CMCF) Inauguration of CMCF A view of CMCF Total no. of instruments = 17 Operated by trained Engineers and supervised by scientists Maintenance is done by the Members of this section High temperature dilatometers (3 Nos.) Make: Netzsch, Germany Model: DIL 402C Temperature range: Room temperature to 1500ºC Environment: Air, Nitrogen gas and Argon gas Brief description: Dilatometers have the facility of measurement of the thermal expansion coefficient. Softening point and glass transition temperatures of samples can be evaluated through the software. Out of these dilatometers, one can be used for measurement below ambient temperature
Particle size analyzer (Micro range) Make: Microtrac, USA Model: S 3500 Range: 100 nm to 1400 micrometer Brief description: The particle size analyzer uses the TRI-LASER Diffraction System developed by Microtrac which allows light scattering measurements to be made from the forward low angle region to almost the entire angular spectrum (approximately zero to 160 degrees). It does so by a combination of three lasers and two detector arrays, all in fixed positions. The resultant scattered light information from all three lasers is combined to generate particle size distributions with good resolution Glass viscometer Make: Bahr, Germany Model: VIS 403 Temperature range: up to 1500ºC Viscosity range: up to 3.5 dpas Brief description: The glass viscometer is a rotating cylinder type viscometer and is used for measuring viscosity of glass samples (up to 3.5 dpas
Carbon Determinator Make: LECO, USA Model: C600 Range: 0.6 ppm to 6% of 1 gm sample Brief description: The carbon analyzer can analyze the carbon content of samples(both high & low carbon content). Surface area analyzer (2 nos.) Make: Quantachrome USA Model: NOVA 4000e Range: Lower limit: 0.05 m 2 /g Brief description: The Surface area analyzer is used to measure the surface area of samples using multipoint or single point BET method, porosity by gas adsorption, total pore volume, pore size distribution (mesopores) using BJH method and external surface area or statistical thickness surface area
Gas Pycnometer Make: Micromeritics, USA Model: Accu Pyc 1340 Description: Helium gas is used for measurement of volume as well as density of sample. Sample requirement: Minimum sample volume required 35 Cm³ to 100 Cm³ in any shape. GCMS Make: Thermo fisher, USA Model: DSQ230 LT Description: Gas/volatile type of sample used in make DSQ230 LT, GCMS application for identification and quantification. Liquid and solid type of sample can be used for direct insertion probe in GCMS. Fragment mass measurement can be done up-to 1050 a.m.u in M.S. Sample requirement: Sample should be clean and minimum requirement is 2ml.
Simultaneous DTA-TGA/DSC-TGA (2 nos.) Make: Netzsch, Germany Model: STA 409C & STA 449C Temperature range: Room temperature to 1750ºC & 1600ºC Environment: Air, Nitrogen gas and Argon gas Brief description: The STAs (Simultaneous thermal analyzers) have the facility of measurement of DTA/TGA & DSC-TGA of samples. Important characteristic temperatures of samples viz, Glass transition temperature, melting temperature and phase transition temperatures can be evaluated through the software Rheometer Make: Malvern, USA Model: BOHLIN Gemini Range: Continuous torque control from 3nNm to 200mNm Brief description: The Rheometer is used to measure the rheological properties of various types of samples such as gels, pastes and other viscous substances
Thermocouple calibration setup Standards used: (i)s type thermocouple (Uncertainty 0.7ºC) (ii) SPRT (25Ω), (iii) Voltmeter, (iv) Thermocouple calibration furnace, (v)cold bath with Triple Point of Water (TPW) standard Brief description: The thermocouple calibration facility is used to calibrate both base metal and noble metal T/Cs by comparing with standard thermocouple. The range of calibration is 1000ºC which can be extrapolated up to 1400ºC. The calibration is done following the guidelines of ASTM E220 Nano particle size analysis, zeta potential and isoelectric point determination: Make: Malvern, USA Model: ZEN 3600 Particle size range: 0.6 nm to 6 micrometer Brief description: The Zetasizer has the facility of measurement of zeta potential and particle size (0.6 nm to 6 µm)of dispersed samples.
Mercury Porosimeter & Pore size distribution determination (2 nos.) Make: Quantachrome, USA Model: Pore Master Pore size range: 3.5 Angstrom to 800 micrometer Brief description: The Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter is used to measure the pore size distribution of samples (3.5Å to 800µm).Other properties that can be evaluated are Surface area from intrusion curves, porosity, pore tortuosity, permeability, throat/pore ratio, fractal dimension and compressibility of samples Nitrogen & Oxygen Determinator Make: LECO, USA. Model: TC600. Range: 0.05 p.p.m to 3 % of 1 gm of sample. Brief description: The nitrogen analyzer can analyze the nitrogen content in sample. Sample requirement: 5 gms of solid or granular sample is required