Materials and Structures Facilities

Materials and Structures research at The University of Hertfordshire benefits from a range of excellent laboratory facilities

Processing

Powder milling, casting of aluminium, heat-treatment furnaces, tube-furnace under controlled atmosphere, pulsed-current treatment, pulsed magnetic treatment, Composites wet-lay up, Composites resin infusion, autoclave for composites curing  

Physico-chemical characterisation

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for polymers and composites (up to 600°C), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) up to 1600°C, Sigmatest (electrical properties), salt-spray corrosion (ASTM B117 standard), X-Ray Diffraction  

Mechanical properties

Tensile/compression tests (10kN, 30kN, 50kN, 500kN), Hardness, microhardness, nano-indentation, three- and four-point bend tests, fatigue testing, torque test  

Properties under extreme conditions

Tensile/compression tests to 300°C, Drop-weight impact test, Charpy impact test, salt-spray corrosion, thermal cyclic behaviour in air from room temperature up to 1750°C, pin-on-disc wear, rolling-sliding wear  

Microstructural characterisation

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical microscopy