Hosting a wide range of cutting-edge equipment and instrumentation, the laboratory is now accessible to staff and students across the Department of Materials Science, the Faculty of Engineering and the University. It will also offer a bespoke, professional service to external customers.
The Basic Characterisation Laboratory covers a variety of characterisation techniques in the areas of Thermal Analysis, Particle Characterisation and Molecular Spectroscopy, which all help to increase understanding into how and why different materials show diverse properties and behaviours. The lab’s research capabilities span numerous engineering materials, such as electroceramics, cements, refractories, metal, glasses, ceramics, as well as polymers and other soft materials.
The facilities will enable targeted research to take place in areas such as functional materials and devices, advanced structural materials, biomaterials and tissue engineering, nuclear engineering, and nanomaterials and nanoengineering.
Some of the thermal analysis techniques that will be employed in the lab include thermal gravimetric analysis, thermomechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and flash diffusivity, and there is a whole range of high spec instruments available to enable this research. To find out more about Royce capabilities in materials characterisation, click here.
The analytical service that the laboratory provides is the measuring and determining of the physical, chemical, mechanical and microstructural properties of materials. This leads to the higher level of understanding needed to resolve important issues such as the causes of failure and process-related problems, as well as to allow the manufacturer to make critical materials-related decisions.”
Dr Oday Hussein
Senior Engineering Technician at the Henry Royce Institute
To enquire about accessing any of our facilities and services, please email royce@sheffield.ac.uk