Pre-Processing Equipment ​

  

Photo of 1200°C G-range Tube Furnace (Carbolite)

1200°C G-range Tube Furnace (Carbolite)

This furnace is equipped with a Eurotherm temperature controller (Model 3216P1) which allows for various heating programs. Rapid heating can be provided up to 1200°C via resistance wire heating elements, semi-embedded in vacuum formed low thermal mass insulation modules used in combination with a ceramic worktube. The furnace can be modified to provide a non-oxidizing atmosphere or vacuum. This furnace is utilized for synthesis of carbon nanoparticles and testing of materials under high temperature conditions.

Photo of Auto-Pneumatic Cutter Press with Qualitest Specimen Cutting Dies (Qualitest)

Auto-Pneumatic Cutter Press with Qualitest Specimen Cutting Dies (Qualitest)

The GOTECH Auto-Pneumatic Cutter is used to cut standard specimens from rubbers, plastics, textiles, etc for mechanical testing. The cutter press is currently equipped with Qualitest Specimen Cutting Dies D-638-4-IMP-ASTM and D-638-1-IMP-ASTM for cutting tensile testing specimens. 

Photo of Automatic Titrator (Mettler Toledo)

Automatic Titrator (Mettler Toledo)

This fully automated titration system provides higher productivity and increased sample throughput. Controlled by the titrator, the Liquid Handler automatically doses and pipettes samples with the highest possible degree of accuracy.

Photo of Box Furnace Lindberg/Blue M (Thermo Scientific)

Box Furnace Lindberg/Blue M (Thermo Scientific)

The Lindberg box furnace is composed of a ceramic fibre insulation and heating element composite. It is capable of reaching 1100°C. The box furnace is equipped with a programmable temperature controller which allows for user-defined proportional, integral, and derivative values.

Photo of Envirotronics Endurance C340 (Envirotronics, Inc.)

Envirotronics Endurance C340 (Envirotronics, Inc.)

This environmental chamber has a temperature range of -70oC to 180oC and can reach humidity levels of up to 98% RH at 95oC. It has heating and cooling rates of 3.0oC/minute and 2.7oC, respectively. In this chamber, test samples can be subjected to environmental stress screening by exposure to extreme temperature and humidity conditions. 

Photo of Freeze Dryer ALPHA 1- 2LDplus (Martin Christ GmbH)

Freeze Dryer ALPHA 1- 2LDplus (Martin Christ GmbH)

The CHRIST ALPHA 1-2 LDplus is a high-performance freeze dryer, which extracts water from frozen material through sublimation under vacuum, thereby avoiding chemical changes that take place during heated drying. Lyophilisation (freeze drying) is the optimal method of drying inorganic products in nanoscal dispersions given that it does not affect the particle surfaces.

Photo of High Intensity Ultrasonic Liquid Processor - Vibra Cell (Sonics & Materials Inc.)

High Intensity Ultrasonic Liquid Processor - Vibra Cell (Sonics & Materials Inc.)

The VCX500 is a 500 Watt ultrasonic processor capable of processing volumes between 250 microlitres to 1 litre. Typical applications of this equipment are dispersion of nanoparticles, acceleration of chemical reactions, and degassing.

Photo of Incubators (Fisher Scientific)

Incubators (Fisher Scientific)

These Fisher Scientific isotemp programmable incubators with gravity flow circulation provide accurate, efficient heating for routine laboratory procedures.

Photo of NAPCO Vacuum Oven (Thermo Scientific)

NAPCO Vacuum Oven (Thermo Scientific)

This vacuum oven has a temperature range of 35° to 200°C and a vacuum range from atmospheric to 30”Hg. The vacuum oven can be used to have reactions occur under vacuum or in a chosen gas atmosphere, and to dry samples at lower temperatures than in convection ovens, by which degradation of the materials is eliminated. This vacuum oven is used for different applications such as moisture determination, out gassing solids and liquids, aging tests, drying of paper, rubber, and textiles, and desiccating.

Photo of Planetary Ball Mill (Retsch)

Planetary Ball Mill (Retsch)

Planetary ball mills are used for very fine grinding of material down to the nano scale. Planetary mills use centrifugal forces that results in very high pulverization energy and thus short grinding times. The PM100 is computer controlled and can store up to 10 SOPs and has programmable starting times. The PM100 is also capable of measuring the energy input during grinding. 

Photo of Precision Oven (Thermo Scientific)

Precision Oven (Thermo Scientific)

This is a 5.0 cu. ft. gravity convection oven with a temperature range of 50° to 275°C under microprocessor control. 

Photo of Prep-Mill Laboratory Two-Roll Mill (C.W. Brabender Instruments)

Prep-Mill Laboratory Two-Roll Mill (C.W. Brabender Instruments)

The C.W. Brabender Laboratory Electrically Heated Prep-Mill is a two-roll mill designed for small-scale milling of elastomeric and thermoplastic materials, which is required as a pre-processing step prior to processing certain polymers. This mill can mix, homogenize and disperse polymers, and can function at temperatures up to 260oC. 

Photo of Spectrum System Grinder and Polisher (LECO)

Spectrum System Grinder and Polisher (LECO)

The SS-1000 is a grinder/polisher that comes equipped with a semi-automatic grinding/polishing head and two 8 inch wheels driven by a ¾ HP motor. The grinder/polisher comes with a variety of grinding/polishing discs, such as 60-1200 grit abrasive paper discs, and silk and nylon polishing cloth discs. The SS-1000 has a timer, variable speed control, and adjustable water faucets. The grinder/polisher can be used for polishing surfaces to be viewed under a microscope or polishing specimens to required ASTM dimensions for mechanical testing. 

Photo of Strand Pelletizer (Reduction Engineering Scheer)

Strand Pelletizer (Reduction Engineering Scheer)

This strand pelletizer can pelletize the entire range of thermoplastics, from soft rubber-like to brittle, fragile, high-density and glassfibre reinforced thermoplastics.

Photo of Thelco Oven (Thermo Scientific)

Thelco Oven (Thermo Scientific)

This gravity convection oven uses microprocessor control for digital set points, digital display, and the digital safety thermostat. Gravity convection is ideal for situations where sample, such as powders, and finely chopped agricultural fibres, cannot be disturbed by forced air. The oven has a volume of 157.5 litres and a maximum operating temperature of 250°C.

Photo of Universal Cutting Mill (Fritsch)

Universal Cutting Mill (Fritsch)

Biofibres, biomass, and other fillers are often in non-uniform shapes and have large particle sizes. Cutting and grinding helps in reducing the size of these biomaterials for easier processing of biocomposites. This pulverizer is capable of comminuting soft to medium-hard materials as well as fibrous materials and plastics.