Facilities

CEI Service Center

The Center for Engineering Innovation (CEI) and Advanced Polymer Research Lab (APRL) house numerous analytical instruments at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Bioengineering and Sciences Building (BSB). A brief listing of these CEI instruments, their capabilities, and the types of information received from them are provided below.  This instrumentation is available for academic and industrial partners, along with individual entities to use.  There are two routes of utilizing the equipment:  

1. Samples can be submitted for analysis to be run by CEI/APRL Staff 
2. Individual users can be trained to run their own samples on CEI equipment. 

If you are interested in using any of the instrumentation found in the Center for Engineering Innovation, please contact Daniel Zamorano, the director of the CEI Service Center.

Instrumentation Services 

Material Types Accepted: Polymers (Thermoplastics/Thermosets/Elastomers) 

The rates below are for submitted samples run by CEI/APRL staff. 

Individual users can also run tests using CEI equipment, but will need the appropriate documentation, approval, and training (safety & equipment) by UT Dallas and CEI staff. The costs below do not include disposables or data analysis. 

For further information about starting a collaboration or joining our lab, please reach out to our Research Director, Dr. Benjamin Lund (benjamin.lund@utdallas.edu). 

Description of Instrumentation

With the Mettler Toledo DMA861e Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA), a series of tension, shear, three-point bend, single or dual cantilever, and compression tests can be performed on a material between two grips or platens in a furnace accurate to less than 0.5°C between -150°C and 500°C.  Under a steady temperature ramp (or complex temperature profile), the 40 Newton (N) load cell applies a sinusoidal mechanical force on the material as the temperature changes. To calculate the material properties, the DMA requires a host of inputs: a desired maximum applied strain (0.2 % is standard), a preload force (.01 N for instance), a Force Track (150%) and the specific dimensions of the sample to be tested. The testing equipment applies an oscillatory stress at the same frequency as the strain, but out of phase with the strain, to reach the specified input maximum. Back-calculating the force required to meet the given strain criterion through iteration, the DMA can output the elastic modulus of the tested materials as a function of temperature. This elastic modulus is determined through computation using the user-measured and inputted cross-sectional area of the material and the machine-calculated applied force to calculate the instantaneous modulus as a function of temperature as measured by the sample thermocouple positioned within the furnace.  The dynamic linear response of materials is measured. 

The Mettler Toledo DSC1 Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) is a thermo-analytical device that measures the relative heat flow through a material relative to the heat flow though air (or any other substance placed into the reference pan) and tracks the difference in temperature needed to heat the sample as a function of temperature. The DSC consists of two sealed pans: a sample pan and the reference pan that is usually empty. The materials to be tested are either polymerized directly into the sample pan, or are placed into the pan after small samples are cut to sizes weighing usually between 1 and 100 mg. The final plot is a graph of differential heat flow as a function of temperature. This result, known as a heating or cooling curve for the given acrylate system, can be used to calculate the enthalpies of transitions.  The DSC contains an attached Intracooler which extends the temperature range from -85°C to 700°C. A computerized robotic arm facilitates loading and unloading of up to 32 samples for rapid testing across material parameters. 

The Mettler Toledo TGA/DSC-1 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) is a thermos-analytical device that measures the weight changes of the material through the series of temperature changes.  The TGA consists of a alumina crucible that is filled with the desired material and subjected to a ramping temperature change.  When the sample is heated, there will be potential mass loss that will be recorded by a highly sensitive balance.  This will give the user results on the temperature of degradation (T_d), temperature of depolymerization, or the temperature that the material sublimates.  The samples that are used are weighed between 2 and 50 mg, depending on sample geometry.  The final plot is a graph of the percentage weight change over the desired range of temperatures.  The TGA contains a furnace that extends the temperature range from 25 °C to 1000 °C and has two method gases that can be utilized: N₂ for inert atmosphere or air for effects of oxidation.  A computerized robotic arm facilitates loading and unloading of up to 32 samples for rapid testing across material parameters. 

The Shimadzu IRAffinity-1 is an instrument for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).  This instrument determines the infrared spectrum of liquids, powders, and films.  This is an important analytical tool to determine the correct composition of materials and synthesized molecules with a wide application while remaining reliable.  The IRAfffinity-1 can be performed in transmission mode for transparent films, powers in a KBR pellet, or liquids on a salt plate.  It can also be coupled with a modular Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) for surface characterization of liquids, films, or other solids. 

The Lloyd Instruments LR5KPlus Universal Testing Machine (UTM) is a thermo-analytical device used to measure an array of mechanical properties. The UTM has swappable 5 kN, 1 kN and 100 N load cells to stretch or compress material samples. The UTM is coupled with the TC540 Heating and Cooling Thermal Cabinet allowing tensile and compression tests from between -70°C and 300°C with a temperature accuracy of 0.5°C. The UTM is also outfitted with a LASERSCAN 200 Non-Contacting Laser Extensometer than can accurately measure strains up to 2000 mm (limited to 600mm of viewable space at non-ambient temperatures in the TC540). The UTM is outfitted with a variety of grips and fixtures to test a range of materials. This includes wedge-action grips, self-tightening grips and compression platens. The data generated is usually a stress strain curve at a specific temperature, but specific tests can be customized for unique situations.