Surfaces vary in multiple ways. For example, surface pores can vary by size, depth, and location. Various techniques exist that analyze the surface of a material, most of which rely heavily on the understanding of the existence of micro an mesopores. Micropores typically have a size of 20 Å,...
Read More >>Aspect Ratios in Particle Size Analysis
Particles can exist in a myriad of different shapes. This can make conducting particle size analysis (PSA) through laser diffraction difficult as it assumes that particles are spherical. Some examples of minerals whose particles are extremely nonspherical include Wollastonite (rod-shaped) and Garnet crystals (cubic). One important value to keep...
Read More >>Slurry Analysis with the Ultrapyc 5000
The Ultrapyc 5000 at the MCL measures the density of samples varying from 0.25 cc to 135 cc in volume, allowing for a wide variety of samples to be tested, including powders, solids, and slurries. Slurries are a suspension of solid in some liquid and are used in a...
Read More >>Percent Crystallinity by the XRD Integration Method
X-ray diffraction experiments can be explained by Bragg’s law. The reflected x-rays from long-range crystallographic order planes can be predicted using the following equation. Where n is an integer, λ is the wavelength of the incident x-rays, d is the inter-atomic spacing, and θ is the angle of incidence....
Read More >>MCL updates during Covid-19
May 20, 2021 Starting May 24, 2021, the University of Utah will no longer require masks inside university buildings. Vaccinated individuals who wish to use the lab may remove their masks in the lab if they feel comfortable with it. Unvaccinated individuals are still encouraged to wear masks while...
Read More >>Determination of % Crystallinity in Polymers
*All of the information for this post was gathered from the sources listed below. Please use them for further reading on the subject. The physical properties of a polymeric sample, such as density, ductility, and yeild strength, are all highly dependent on the amount of crystalline material (often called...
Read More >>XRD Phi Rotation Scanning
X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a powerful analytical tool for industry professionals and material scientists. A source (typically copper) produces x-rays which are directed at a flat sample. These x-rays are diffracted at certain angles by the crystal planes in the material and are detected at those angles. Based on...
Read More >>Heat Capacity by the Sapphire Method
The heat capacity of a material is a crucial property to consider when determining its functionality in certain applications. The typical SI unit of heat capacity (Cp) is Joules per gram Kelvin (). It is a measurement of how sensitive a material is to changes in temperature due to...
Read More >>The Universal Reflectance Accessory
Many scientific applications of thin films, thermal and optical coatings, conducting oxide layers, as well as many other systems, require analysis of reflectance, absorption, and transmittance of electromagnetic radiation; specifically visible light and near-visible radiation. Here in the Materials Characterization Lab at the University of Utah, we utilize the...
Read More >>Vickers Hardness testing
Hardness is defined as a material’s resistance to permanent deformation such as penetration or scratching. Static indentation tests are one way to determine hardness. For static indentation, a cone, pyramid, or ball is forced into the surface of the material. The relationship between the load applied for a given...
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