The Advanced Ceramics and Composites Laboratory was founded in 1990 with initial emphasis on the development of advanced ceramic materials and ceramic-based composites. It has since grown very substantially and its main activities are now divided between research (for supranational and national authorities and industries) and services to industry and institutions.

On the basis of our very extensive facilities, we can offer the following testing and measurement services to industry most of them based on ASTM or EN/ISO standards as well as on UN Part III-2009 and EN 440-2008 transport regulations:

1. Mechanical Properties
   1. Tensile strength and elongation of plastics, paper, composites, wood etc. at room temperature and in an environmental chamber from -196^oC to 200^oC and 100% humidity.
   2. Tensile strength and elongation of all metals and alloys up to 800^oC
   3. Bending strength (Modulus of Rupture or Transverse Rupture Strength) of all plastics, paper, composites, wood etc. from -196^oC to room temperature and in an environmental chamber from -196^oC to 200^oC and 100% humidity.
   4. Bending strength (Modulus of Rupture or Transverse Rupture Strength or Flexural Strength) of ceramics, glasses and metals from -196^oC to room temperature to 1250^oC
   5. Compressive strength of all plastics, paper, composites, wood etc. from -196^oC to room temperature and in an environmental chamber from -196^oC to 200^oC and 100% humidity.
   6. Compressive strength of all ceramics, glasses and metals from -196^oC to 1250^o
   7. Shear strength of all plastics, paper, composites, wood etc. from -196^oC to room temperature and in an environmental chamber from -196^oC to 200^oC and 100% humidity.
   8. Shear strength of all ceramics, glasses, plastics, composites and metals at -196^oC - 1250^o
   9. Fracture toughness of all materials (in bending)
   10. Young’s and Shear modulus of all materials in tension, bending and compression.
   11. Impact strength (Izod and Charpy) of all ceramics, glasses, plastics, composites, wood etc., up to 2.5Joules impact energy.
   12. Impact damage by a drop-weight test to 25Joules of all materials.
   13. Bursting strength of plastics
   14. Adhesion strength of glues and adhesives
   15. Hardness according to Rockwell, Brinel, Vickers for metals, glasses and ceramics
   16. Microhardness according to Knoop for ceramics, glasses and metals.
   17. Scratch hardness tests for plastics etc.
   18. Abrasion (2-body or 3-body) resistance for metals, plastics, composites and ceramics.
   19. Cavitation erosion of metals and ceramics.
   20. Creep resistance of plastics, metals (tension, bending, shear and compression) and ceramics (bending, shear and compression) to 1250^o
   21. Air-born and water-born erosion resistance of metals, plastics and ceramics.
   22. Fatigue resistance (up to ±10kN) of plastics, metal,wood, paper, card etc.
   23. Friction coefficient of all materials
   24. Seal and peel testing in tension of adhesives and glues
   25. Tear properties of plastics, paper, card etc.
   26. Puncture resistance of plastics, paper, card etc
   27. Crushing resistance (Hertzian or Brinell) of all materials
   28. Mechanical properties under vacuum

 

1. Thermal properties
   1. Thermal conductivity of plastics, ceramics, glasses, metals and composites at 20 - 800^oC
   2. Thermal expansion of plastics, ceramics, glasses, metals and composites at 20 - 600^oC
   3. Thermal heat capacity of plastics, composites, inks, glue etc.
   4. Self-ignition temperature of plastics, paper, card, ink, wood, glue, paint etc.
   5. Self-heating of solids
   6. Combustion temperature of soot, coal and other fuels.
   7. Flammability of plastics, paper, card, wood, ink, glue, paint etc.
   8. Flash point (open or closed cup) of inks, adhesives, glues, paints etc.
   9. Combustion sustainability of liquids, inks, paints, glues etc.
   10. Explosive properties of solids and liquids
   11. Freezing and heating curves from -30 to 100^oC in insulation containers
   12. Thermal cycling tests from -196 to +80^oC for all plastics and composites.
   13. Thermal quench (shock) tests for ceramics and metals up to 1500^oC
   14. Sintering of compacted metal and ceramic powders and heat treatment of all materials to 1600^oC under air, vacuum or protective atmospheres
   15. Aging and weathering of plastics, paper, composites, card, wood, inks, glue etc. under full spectrum and UV irradiation in environmental chamber to 100% humidity and up to 50^o
   16. Diffusion bonding of plastics and metals
   17. Melting temperature of metals and ceramics to 1800oC
   18. Softening temperature of plastics and composites
   19. Exothermic (combustion) synthesis of metals and ceramics
   20. Pyrophoric properties of solids and liquids
   21. Flammable gas emission from liquids
   22. Microwave heating and heat treatments to 1600^oC
   23. Mechanical milling and alloying of powders
   24. Thermal spray-coating of plastics, metals and ceramics
   25. Inductive heating and alloying of metals

 

1. Chemical Properties
   1. Atomic-structural analysis using X-Ray Diffraction
   2. Elemental analysis using EDX (in the SEM) and XRF
   3. Molecular mass of polymers by viscosity measurement.
   4. Chemical resistance of all materials to many types of corrosive chemicals.
   5. Gas Chromatography
   6. Determination of air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, CO₂, CO)
   7. Solvent separation of paints, glues, inks etc.
   8. Oxidation resistance of all materials up to 1250^oC
   9. Test for oxidizing substances
   10. Corrosion tests for metals
   11. Catalytic measurements for various industrial and environmental processes
   12. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
   13. Water solubility
   14. Solubility in organic diluents

 

1. Physical, metallurgical and optical properties
   1. Density (densitometry) and specific gravity of all materials
   2. Granulometry from 50nm (laser) to 5mm (sieving)
   3. Specific area of powders and porous structures by BET ( nitrogen adsorption)
   4. Porosimetry by nitrogen adsorption
   5. Viscocity of glues, inks, adhesives, solutions etc.
   6. Vacuum resistance (self-crushing of foams etc. under vacuum) to 0.1torr
   7. Vibration testing to 1000g (10km/s²)
   8. Air and water permeability of all porous materials, including membranes
   9. Moisture absorption of plastics, paper, card, wood, composites etc.
   10. Thermogravimetry of liquids, polymers and reactants
   11. Metallurgical examination (and polarimetry) with transmitted or reflected light to 1200X
   12. Microstructural examination using Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
   13. Image analysis of metallurgical surfaces (after etching)
   14. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) of thin films
   15. Determination of surface emissivity of all materials to 1000^oC
   16. Determination of colour and whiteness of printed material

 

1. Other services
2. Shaping by hot pressing, extrusion and rolling of plastics
3. Failure analysis of materials and structures
4. Precision diamond cutting and polishing of metals and ceramics
5. Autoclaving of plastics etc. up to 200^oC under vacuum or protective atmospheres
6. 3D printing (SLA printer)
7. Isostatic (hydrostatic) pressing (cold and up to 100^oC)

Thermal and structural analysis and design using Finite Element Methods (FEM)