Facilities

Measurement of thermodynamic properties of materials at various temperatures is a very important part of the design and production of materials with specific thermal characteristics for various applications. For example, it is very important for the development of materials for thermal insulation or thermal protection of various systems, e.g. in space or in industry. In adition, knowledge of such parameters is important for calorimetric or thermal capacity design.  

Within the framework of its research activities, the laboratory has acquired or built a number of test equipment for measurement of a rabge of thermodynamic parameters such as:

1) Instrument  for measuring thermal conductivity of small (Φ10mm) cylindrical specimens at temperatures up to about 700^oC and recording on a PC.

2) Instrument for measuring thermal expansion coefficient in ceramics, metals glasses etc in small rods  up to about 800^oC

3) Instrument for measuring heat capacity of materials using calorimetry and on-line monitoring of heat generation up to about 800^oC. The same device can be used for carrying out differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and  thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) tests. This device is also used for on-line monitoring of exothermic or endothermic reactions in real-time as well as catalytic reactions.

4) Refractoriness tests of all materials up to 1600^oC

5) (Combustion calorimatry (right) for determination of the temperature of combustion initiation, e.g. catalytic pyrolysis of soot etc.

Finally, the lab is equipped to carry out measurements (by calibration) of emissivity at temperatures up to about 600^oC.

Our large-volume Differential Thermal Analyser (DTA) is able to analyse up to 5cm3 of any sample against pure alumina up to 800oC according to .
 
Our Bomb Calorimeter is able to measure the heat capacity of up to 2cm3 of combustible materials under an oxygen atmosphere with continuous temperature recording.