CellMat Laboratory is fully equipped for the production, characterization and modelling of the micro and macroscopic properties of cellular materials. The laboratory is divided in 4 different areas:
This laboratory section is equipped with the devices typically used for the transformation of plastic materials but at a lab-scale. This equipment can be used for the production of foamed materials and also for the manufacturing solid parts.
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PRODUCTION AND SAMPLE PREPARATION LABORATORY |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| Reactor for polymerization | Versoclave type 3, 0.50lt, BUCHI |
| Torque rheometer | DW5300, FYI |
| Twin screw extruder | TEACH-LINE ZK 25T, COLLIN |
| Two roll mill | DW5110, Fanyuan |
| Co-rotating twin screw extruder | ZK 25 T Teachline, Collin |
| Single screw extruder with chill roll | CR 72 T Teachline, Collin |
| Micro-injection molding machine | 6/10P, BabyPlast |
| High-pressure vessel (up to 400 bar) | Parr 4681, Parr Instruments Company |
| Pressure vessel (up to 100 bar) | Talleres Remtex |
| Low-temperature pressure vessel (up to 200 bar) | Parr 4760, Parr Instruments Company |
| High-pressure stirred reactor | Parr 4544, Parr Instruments Company |
| Hot/cold plates hydraulic press | Talleres Remtex |
| Hot plates hydraulic press with accurate control | Talleres Remtex |
| Molds and tools for the production of parts under pressure | CellMat Laboratory & Talleres Remtex |
| 3D Printer | Dimabox 3D printer, Dima 3D |
| Ultrasound dispersive tip | VCX-750, Sonics Vibra-Cell |
| Low-shear fluid mixing machine | Eurostar Power Control-visc P1, IKA |
| High-shear fluid mixing machine | T 25 Digital Ultra Turrax, IKA |
| Ball mill | Ball Mill, Orto Alresa |
| Mixer mill | MM 400, Retsch |
| CNC Desktop Machine | ICV4030, ISEL |
| Precision cutter machine | IsoMet 1000, Buehler |
| Polishing machine | LaboPol-2, Struers |
| Band sawing machine | CY 135, Tronzadoras MG |
| High temperature oven | 2001405, JP Selecta |
| Electric muffle furnace | Select-Horn, JP Selecta |
| Digital vacuum drying oven | VacioTem TV, JP Selecta |
| Vacuum drying oven | VacioTem T, JP Selecta |
| Drying oven | E-42, Heraeus |
| Test tube shaker | Multi Reax, Heidolph |
| Vortex mixer | ZX3, Velp |
| Platform shaker | Vibramax 100, Heidolph |
The equipment included in this area of the Laboratory is aimed at the characterization of both the microstructure and the physical properties of the polymeric based solid and cellular materials.
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MICROSCOPIC AND MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION LABORATORY |
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| CHEMICAL-STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES | |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers (FTIR) |
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| Ultra-Violet spectrometer | UV-2102 PC, Shimadzu |
| Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) | QX 200, Link |
| Polarized light optical microscope with a digital camera |
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| Scanning electron microscope (SEM) | FlexSEM 1000, Hitachi |
| Air pycnometer | P1.86, EijKelKamp |
| Gas pycnometer | AccuPyc II 1340, Micromeritics |
| Volumetric titration | Karl Fischer V10, Mettler |
| PH meter | FiveEasy F20-Std, Mettler |
| THERMAL PROPERTIES | |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| HDT/VICAT device | VHDT-3, Metrotec |
| Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) | TGA/SDTA 861, Mettler |
| Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) | DSC 3+, Mettler |
| Thermo-Mechanical Analyzer (TMA) | DMA/TMA 7, PerkinElmer |
| Melt flow tester (MFI & VFI) |
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| Rotational viscometer | Rotavisc LO-VI Complete, IKA |
| Stress controlled rheometer: Shear rheology |
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| Stress controlled rheometer: Extensional rheology |
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| Thermal Conductivimeters – Stationary Method |
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| Thermal Conductivimeter – Transient Plane Source Method | HDMD, Hot Disk |
| MECHANICAL PROPERTIES | |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
Universal testing machine
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| Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) |
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| Hardness tester: Shore A, Shore O, Shore D, Shore OO |
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| Vickers micro-durometer | MHO IB, Zeiss |
| Charpy and Izod impact tester |
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| Falling dart impact testing machine equipped with a high speed acquisition camera |
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| Creep and recovery test machine | Mod.DF5, Microtest |
| ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES | |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| Impedance tube | UA-1630, Bruel and Kjaer |
| FIRE RESITANCE PERFORMANCE | |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| Limiting Oxygen Index equipment (LOI) | Oxygen index, FTTT |
| Calorimetric bomb | 1341EE, Parr |
This laboratory is specifically focused on the analysis (qualitative and quantitative) of the physical mechanisms involved in foaming processes.
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PRODUCTION AND SAMPLE PREPARATION LABORATORY |
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DEVICE |
MODEL |
| Pressure vessel with internal vision | Designed by CellMat Laboratory |
| Optical expandometry meter | Designed by CellMat Laboratory |
| X-ray radioscopy and tomography equipment | Desinged by CellMat Laboratory |
| Infrared camera | HotFind L, SDS Infrared |
The last section of CellMat Laboratory aims to predict the behavior of complex polymeric systems by using simple or complex analytical models and finite element modelling (FEM)
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LABORATORIES FOR PROPERTIES SIMULATION |
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DEVICE |
Work stations
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| FEM software (ANSYS) |
Other software
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