Materials Preparation and Testing Laboratory

Tribology

Responsible: Rui Vilar

Contact Persons: Rui Vilar, ext. 1259
                               Amélia Almeida, ext. 3176

Description:

The laboratory is provided with methods for the mechanical characterization of surfaces at the micro and nanoscales.

Research activities:

Tribological and mechanical characterization of materials and coatings.

Main equipment

• Wazau TRM 500 Tribometer

This tribometer is used for friction and wear measurements under continuous or alternating sliding motion. It can be operated without or with lubrication, with solid or fluid lubricants in boundary or mixed friction conditions. Both materials and lubricants can be tested. The tribological pair may have pin on disc or sphere on disc configurations. The tests can be performed between RT and 850°C. Able to perform tests according to a wide range of European and American standards.

• Phoenix TE 66 Microtribometer

This microtribometer may be used to determine the abrasive and sliding wear coefficients of very small samples of coatings and materials in a ball on plate contact configuration. The machine may also be used as a crater-generating tool for coating thickness determination. Can perform tests according to BS EN 1071-6: 2007 standard.

• TA Instruments DSC

Multi-purpose calorimeter with microwatt sensitivity for continuous temperature scanning, step-scanning and isothermal measurements of phase transformations thermodynamics and kinetics data and determination of transformation temperatures.

• Shimadzu Microhardness tester

Vickers microhardness tester Shimadzu HMV2000, 2 Kg maximum load.

• Dynamic Ultramicrohardness Tester

Shimadzu DUH-211S depth-sensing ultramicroindentation tester. Dynamic indentation measurements, testing in localized regions and determination of elastic modulus and hardness of a wide range of materials. Load range: 0.1 – 1961 mN.

• Olympus PMG3 inverted metallographic microscope

Multi-purpose metallographic microscope equipped for bright field, polarized light and Nomarski interference contrast observation. Digital image acquisition and analysis.

• Nikon binocular microscope

Location: IST-Alameda, Pav. Matemática, floor -2, room 02.05

Access conditions: Within collaborative research work. Please contact the scientific researchers in charge.

NanoStructured Materials Laboratory

Responsible and  Contact person: Alberto Ferro, tel: 21 8419989, ext 3989

Description:

The laboratory supports the development and characterization of materials engineered so that multiple length scales are simultaneously produced. Particular focus is put on the production by the powder route of bulk nanostructured metal/ceramic or ceramic/ceramic composites with multiscale dispersions tailored for functional and structural performance under extreme conditions.

The laboratory also supports the production and characterization of colloidal suspensions, fine mineral based materials, and natural grown biostructures.

Main Equipment

• • High-energy milling: planetary ball mill, Retsch PM 100 (2 units)

• • High purity Argon Glove box: MBraun UNILAB Plus N/P Glove Box

• • High Power Ultrasonic Probe: Sinaptec Nextgen Lab750

• • General equipment for colloidal processing

Location: IST-Alameda, Mecânica II, building, floor 0, LEM2 Laboratory.

Access conditions:
To know more or have access to the list facilities please contact the laboratory responsible.