Equipments and Facilities

The Centre operates an extensive array of laboratory equipment and facilities for materials characterisation and testing.  These are listed below:

• X-Ray Diffractometer with glancing angle attachment and hot stage to identify the compounds and their crystal structures.
• Single crystal X-Ray Diffractometer.
• High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with microanalysis unit and cryo-stage for surface morphology and microstructure imaging, elemental and failure analysis.
• ToF-SIMS (Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer) for detailed chemical analysis of the outer few atomic layers of a surface.
• Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) for analysis of materials at elevated temperature and gaseous environment.                       
• Boreal Laser and Hiden quadrupole mass spectrometer for gas emission analysis.
• X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer with depth profiling to identify surface composition and chemistry, corrosion mechanisms, nature of surface contamination etc.
• Atomic Force Microscope for investigation of roughness factors, friction and magnetic storage capabilities
• Furnaces of various sizes capable of 1600^C.           

Analytical and Diagnostic Services

• Material testing and surface modification
• Advanced process analysis and control tools
• Cell dynamic, electromagnetic, thermoelectric modeling
• Testing and development of refractories.
• New electrolysis processes and electrode testing mechanical strength (tensile/yield testing)
• Defect analysis: porosity, casting (HPDC, gravity die-casting, sand casting, investment casting); extrusion defects (surface segregation, flow lines, die lines, etc.).
• Fatigue testing
• Flat surface – COF (coefficient of friction) testing, reduction of slipperiness.
• Micro-structural investigations (SEM, AFM, micro-hardness, etc.)
• Chemical and phase compositions (XRF, XRD, SEM, TEM, XPF, etc.)
• PVD (physical vapor deposition) expertise in titanium based coatings
• PACVD (Plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition); DLC coatings
• Anodising (Extrusions – 6xxx series Al; and high Si cast Al)
• Electroplating; Electrolyses Ni coatings.
• Laser micro-machining of materials (10-6m to 10-9m levels)