College of Engineering > Academic Programs > Polymer and Fiber Engineering > About PFEN > Strategic Plan > Needs for Program Advancement > Equipment Needs

Equipment Needs

In the next five years, in order to meet the research goals of the department, the following major polymer characterization equipment is needed:

• Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA): Allows one to monitor chemical and physical changes, through changes in sample weight, as a function of time and temperature. ($20k)
• Gel Permeation Chromatograph (GPC): Separates polymeric species by size/molecular weight to determine molecular weights, molecular weight distributions, and composition. ($50k)
• Atomic Force Microscope(AFM): Provides the ability to image polymer surfaces at atomic scale. ($75k)
• X-ray Source for Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS): To determine order from 10-1000Å in polymer structures. ($100k)
• Confocal Microscope: To study through-the-thickness structure of polymers and fibers. ($30k)
• Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter: To be able to measure porosity and pore size distributions in fiber and polymer networks. ($30k)
• Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS): To analyze and identify polymer unknowns and degradation by-products. ($70k)
• X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS): To measure the composition of surfaces to a depth of ~10nm. ($70k)
• TRI/Princeton Contact Angle Analyzer: To measure dynamic contact angles in advancing and receding mode to determines surface polarity, roughness, and wetting characteristics. ($45k)
• Research Grade Polarized Light Microscope: To study optical characteristics of fibers and polymers, birefringence, retardation, crystal structure and growth. ($40k)