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Centre for Integrated Materials, Processes & Structures facilities and equipment

We have a wide range of equipment to measure the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of materials.

We have invested in the latest laboratory infrastructure to support our research. All our equipment and facilities are available for academic and commercial use.

For a complete list of what is available, you can also find equipment on the University's research portal.

If you're interested in using our equipment, please email Dr Matthew Cole at m.t.cole@bath.ac.uk.

Additive manufacturing, 3D printing & 3D scanning

  • Dimatix
  • FDM makerbot
  • 3DS HD3500Max
  • Stratasys F270
  • PP3DP
  • Anycubic I3 Mega
  • Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printer [Titan 3, microSLA]
  • Extrusion 3D Printer [Lutum 5, VormVrij]
  • Digital Light Processing (DLP) unit
  • 3D Scanner [Matter & Form]
  • Additive manufacture for polymers and metals

Mass spectrometry and chromatography

  • Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) Multi-Detection System (GPC/SEC MDS) [Agilent 1260 Infinity]
  • GPC [PL-GPC 50]
  • Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Tim of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometer [Bruker Autoflex Speed]
  • Headspace gas mass spectrometer (headspace gas MS)
  • μHPLC coupled to Electrospray Time-of-Flight Mass Spectromet (ESI-TOF) [Ultimate 300]
  • 2D GC/MS [Agilent 7200 Accurate-Mass QTOF]
  • Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) equipped with UV detector and DReam instruments [Acquity Xevo TQD, ]
  • Electrospray ionisation quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for high-performance liquid chromatography (ESI-QTOF HPLC) [Bruker MicroTOFQ Ultimate 3000]
  • High performance liquid chromatography evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) [Agilent 1260 Infinity]
  • Bespoke-Gas GC, GC1, GC2, GC3
  • Nano Liquid Chromatography coupled to Electrospray quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (nanoLC-ESI-QTOF MS)
  • High Pressure Gas Absorption Apparatus
  • High Performance Adsorption Analyzer [Micrometrics 3FLEX 3500]
  • Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
  • Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC)

More tools are available through the University's facilities, including:

  • 3S Walkup Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (Agilent UHPLC-QTOF)
  • MaXis Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (Bruker Maxis HD with Thermo Fisher UHPLC 3000 Dionex)
  • Markes 250C Micro Chamber Thermal Extraction Unit (TD-mCTE)
  • Gas Chromatography [Shimadzu]
  • Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS) [Agilent 1260 Infinity ii Quaternary Pump with ESI MS]
  • HPLC DAD/RI (x2)
  • Ion Chromatography
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GCMS) with Thermal desorption [Agilent/Markes 8890 GCMS with TDX100R]

Materials processing

Thermal and polymer characterisation

  • Bomb calorimeter [IKA C1]
  • Microcalorimeter
  • Thermalc conductivity measurement [TPS 3500 Hot Disk Regular, FOX600]
  • Thermal Imaging Cameras [FLIR T620]
  • Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) [SETARAM Calvet 3D μSc]
  • High-pressure volumetric gas sorption [HTP-1]
  • Hydrogen isotope exchange
  • Thermal Analyser [STA 441 F1 Jupiter Simultaneous]
  • Intelligent gravimetric analyzer
  • Isothermal calorimetry
  • Indirect calorimeter [GEM]
  • Dilatometer [Netzsch DIL 402C]
  • Porolux 1000
  • Nanoparticle analyser [Nanosight NS500]
  • shaker systems for energy harvesting characterisation

More tools are available through the University's facilities including:

  • Gas sorption [Micromeritics 3 Flex, & Autosorb-iQ]
  • Total Organic Carbon (TOC) & Total Nitrogen (TN) analyser
  • Mercury intrusion [Pascal 140 & 440 Series]
  • Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA) [Triton 2000 & Mettler-Toledo DMA-1]
  • Vapour sorption [DVS advantage 1]

Vacuum

  • Vacuum Helium Leak Detector (UL 200, Inficon)
  • Various vacuum chambers capable of achieveing base pressures of 10-9 mbar to atompsheric pressure

Lithography

The University's facilities home lithography tools including:

  • Direct Laser Write (DLW) [Heidelberg MPG101]
  • NanoImprint Lithography [EVG 620]
  • Mask Aligner [mutliple Karl Suss MJB-3]
  • Displacement Talbot Lithography (DTL) [Phable 100M]

Coating, etching and material growth

  • Thin Film Deposition System [AUTO 500]
  • Photoresist spinners (various)
  • Dry photoresist laminator
  • Sputter Coater [Edwards S150B, HHV500]
  • Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PE-CVD) reactors [Aixtron Black Magic x2, Oxford Instruments x2]
  • Metal Organic CVD (MOCVD) reactor (x2) [Oxford Instruments]
  • ceramics processing and freeze casting
  • A comprehensive range of tube and chamber furnaces capable of heating to 1700° C Automated Flexible Electronics Measurement System (Precision Atomics)
  • A wide range of stirring hotplates
  • Plasma Treatment / etcher [Diener Zepto]
  • Caster [Elcometer 4340]
  • Hollor fiber spinneret
  • Anodic alumina membrane synthesis
  • Tube Vacuum Furnance [Carbolite, Red Devil G]
  • Alumina Tube Furnace
  • Vacuum ovens
  • Binder ovens
  • Muffle furnace [Gallenkamp]
  • Spincoaters [Laurell WS-650MZ-23 NPP, Headway & others]
  • Dessicator units [various]
  • Freeze driers [various]
  • Vacuum Ovens [various]
  • Ultrasonicator (GT Sonic, 100W)
  • Numerous analytical micorbalance
  • Nanofilm vacuum filtrater
  • Nanofilm inkjet printer
  • Nanofilm spray coater
  • Centrifuges [various, Hettich, Thermoscientific Megafuge16, Eppendorf]
  • Fume hood [various, Esco Ascent]
  • Optical Fibre Drawing Tower

More tools are available through the University's facilities, including:

  • Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Reactive Ion Etchers (RIE) [ICP80, ICP100, Plasmapro System 100 Cobra, Leica EM RES 102, Diener]
  • Sputter Coater [HHV500]
  • Thermal Evaporators [Edwards E306, Moorfield Minilab]
  • Electron beam Evaporators [Edwards FL400, Moorfield Minilab]
  • Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PE-CVD) reactors [Oxford Instruments, Plasma Therm 790]
  • Filmetrics reflectrometry system

Membranes

Performance testing

  • Pervaporation rig
  • Liquid permeation test for ceramic membrane
  • Dead-end & crossflow cell

Surface testing

  • Conductivity Meter [Jandel RM3000]
  • Impedance analyser [Solatron S1 1260]
  • Impedance spectroscopy (with temperature)
  • Dielectric interface [Solatron 1296]
  • Potentiometer/galvanometer [metrohm AUTOLAB]
  • Contact angle goniometry [OCA15 & OCA25]
  • Porometer [Porolux 1000, Pascal 140 Mercury]
  • High-performance adsorption analyser [3Flex+ 1MP Analyser with flow degasser]

More tools are available through the University's facilities including: - Physisorption Analyser (BET) [3Flex]

Microscopy

Electron microscopy

A wide range of tools are available through the University's facilities, including:

  • Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) [FE-SEM7900F, Hitachi SU3900]
  • TEM equipped with Energy Dispersive X-Ray analyser (EDX) (JEOL JSM-2100PLUS)
  • SEM equipped EDX [JEOL JSM-6480LV & Hitachi]
  • EM and cryo-EM preparation system (Leica EM TXP)

Scanning probe and atomic force microscopy

  • Presion motion controller [Thror Lab]
  • Nanodrives [Madcity lab]

More tools are available through the University's facilities including:

  • Atomic force microscopes (AFM) [Asylum Jupiter XR with various mode additions]
  • Non-contact surface profilometer [Proscan 2000, Veeco 6M Dektak]
  • Nanoindenter [Anton Paar, NHT3]

Optical microscopy

  • Non inverted microscopy [Microeconomique]
  • Inverted fluorescence-equipped microscope [Nikon]
  • Optical micrscopes [Leica M205C]
  • Widefield Fluorescent Microscope [Leica Dmi8]
  • Multiphoton Confocal Laser Scanning Fluorescence Microscope [Zeiss LSM880]
  • Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope Zeiss LSM-880 with Airyscan and multiphoton laser
  • Upright fluorescence-equipped microscope [Olympus]
  • Two-Photon Time Domain Fluorescence Lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM)
  • High-throughput automated multiple frequency domain Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy
  • Inverted microscope [EVOS M5000]

More tools are available through the University's facilities including:

  • 3D optical microscope [Keyence, VHX]
  • Light Sheet Microscope [Zeiss Z.1]
  • Confocal Laser Scanning Fluorescence Microscope [Zeiss CellDiscoverer 7 with LSM900 Multiplex Airyscan]

Non-destructive testing

  • Peripheral quantitative computed tomograph [pQCT XCT 3000]
  • Ultrasonic phased array system with National Instrument software/hardware
  • High-performance cooled InSb detector [Flir Systems]
  • Uncooled IR detector based on microbolometer technology
  • Polytec 2D laser vibrometer
  • Non-linear ultrasonics
  • Ultrasonic C scanning
  • Thermography
  • Thermal wave imaging thermoscope
  • Ultrasonic sciences C-scan system (2.5 x 1.2m scan area)

More tools are available through the University's facilities including: - X-ray computed tomography system (CT) [Nikon]

Spectroscopy

  • NMW Spectrometer [AVANCE III 400 & AVANCE III 500]
  • UV-Vis Spectrometer [Numerous Cary 100 UV-Vis, DReam equipped, Andor, Shimadzu UV 1800, Jenway Nanodrop] -SPR Spectrometer [Reichert]
  • General use Spectrometer [Ocean Optics]
  • Optical Spectrum Analyser [Agilent, Ando]
  • Residual Gas Analyser (rRGA) [Stanford Research]
  • MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer Additional Spectroscopy tools are also available via the Core Research Facility, including:
  • Raman Spectrometer [REINSHAW inVia]
  • FT-IR Spectrometer [Thermo scientific Nicolet iS50 FT-IR spectrometer + RaptIR FTIR microscope, Bruker FT-IR Spectrometer INVENIO]
  • Spectral Flow Cytometer
  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer/Microscope (FTIR) -Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer [Advance 300, Advance III 400, Advance III 500, Advance III HD 500, Avance NEO 400 (x2), Avance NEO 500, Propulse 500]
  • TGA [SETARAM SETSYS Evolution]
  • TOC analyzer [shimadzu TOC-VCPN]

Structures characterisation

  • 10 kN [Instron E10000]
  • 50kN testing machine [Instron 3369, TriScan Pro Advanced]
  • 100kN testing machine [Instron 1195, Multi-Axis 8800]
  • 100 kN hydraulic actuator
  • 200 kN Mayes machine [Retrofitted 8800 Control Tower]
  • 250kN testing machine [Instron 5585H]
  • 2000 kN Frame [Retrofitted 8800 Controller]
  • Force Plates [Kistler portable 9260AA6]
  • Servohydraulic fatigue testing stystem [Instron 8803]
  • Isokinetic dynamometer [Humac Norm]
  • Fluid Dynamic Gauging (FDG)
  • CT load cell [Deben, CT5000]
  • Screw Extruder [Process 11 Twin]
  • KIPP Pyranometer
  • IR and rain exposure systems
  • Environmental cabinet [Instron 3111]
  • Digital image correlation/ doppler laser vibrometry
  • Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA)
  • Limess VIC3D high-speed digital image correlation system
  • Motion Tracker System [XSENS Wireless, Qualisys, Near-infrared Camera equipped]
  • GPS Ionospheric Scintillation
  • 3 x 1.5m Airbus autoclave for composites (100psi; 250°C)
  • Bertec split belt force instrumented treadmill
  • Armfield open channel research flume

X-ray diffractometry

  • Single Crystal Xray Diffraction (XRD) [Agilent Technologies Xcalibur]
  • Single Crystal XRD [Agilent Technologies Supernova Dual] Additional X-ray Diffraction tools are also available via the Core Research Facility, including:
  • Transmission and Reflection Powder XRD (PXRD) [Bruker D8-Advance and a STOE STADI P]
  • Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) [Anton-Paar SAXSpoint 2.0]

Computing and software

  • Structural modelling software [ABAQUS / VICONOPT / ANSYS]
  • Electronic circuit design software [Cadence suite]
  • Material Simulation software [COMSOL Multiphysics]
  • Data processing software [Matlab, Maple]
  • Mechanical design software [AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Fusion, Sketchup, Solidworks]
  • Analytical and quantitative research software [ChemOffice, SPSS, Spectragryph, Nvivo, CCDC]
  • Digital twinning software [ARENA]
  • VSimulators [Bi-Axial Motion, Climate Controlled Room, Virtual Reality Equipment]
  • Balena, Anatra (cluster), Isambard and Nimbus (Cloud) High Performance Computing (HPC) System

Particle and powder characterisation

The University's research facilities, home particle and powder characterisation tools including:

  • Nanoparticle characterisation [Nanosight NS300]
  • Zeta Potential, Particle Size, Concentration characterisation [Zetasizer & DLS Mastersizer 3000, Nanosizer & Malvern lasersizer]
  • Pycnometer [AccuPyc 1330]

Electrical characterisation

  • Wedge bonder [K & S]
  • Conductivity Meter [Jandel, Various]
  • Probe station [Karl Suss]
  • Semiconductor Device Analyser [Agilent B1500 A]
  • Vector Network Anlyser
  • Potentiostat [Autolab FRA32M]
  • 30K Dry Cryostat for HTS Magnet Testing
  • Custom-built 3 kV and 5 kV Source Measure Units
  • 5 kV High Voltage High Frequency Switch [Behlke HTS 61-03-GSM]
  • Four point probe [Jandel]
  • Low Voltage Source Measure Unit [Keithley 2611, Keithley 2602B]
  • Hight Current Source Measure Units [Keithley 238]
  • Digital Oscilloscope [Agilent DSO5032A]
  • Induction Coil Magnetometers
  • 80MHz Arbitrary Waveform Generator [Agilent 33250A]
  • Digial Multimeters [HP 34410A]
  • Spectrum Analyser [FSW13]
  • High Voltage Source Measure Units [Keithley 237]
  • Auto-Ranging PicoAmmeters [Keithley 485]
  • Superconducting Motor Test Cryostat
  • Liqui Nitrogen Cryostate [Various]

Rheology

  • Rheometer [Brookfield DV III Ultra]
  • Hybrid Rheometer [HR-2 Discovery]

Bio-imaging and biotech

  • Microtomes [various]
  • Autolan
  • Microplate readers [Phosphorimager Plus Plates]
  • Millipore Ultrapure (Type1) water -(Direct-Q 5UV)
  • Auto Clave [MDS Medical Lts]
  • Syringe pumps [Various]
  • Bio Analyser [Cedex]
  • Multifunction Process Control Teaching System and Bath Enzyme Reactor
  • PalmSens4
  • Biosensors [MP160]
  • Clinical chemistry analyser [RX4041 RXDaytona+ Analyser]
  • Hypoxic cabinet
  • Biological Safety Cabinet [MSC Advantage Class II]
  • Electrochemiluminescently-labeled detection [Meso Quickplex SQ 120]
  • Incubators [various]
  • Metabolic Cart [CareFusion Vyntus]
  • ASA-LAB EEG System
  • Flow Cytometer [Guava EasyCyte 6-2L System]
  • Flow Reactor
  • Bone denseometer [Hologic DEXA Scanner]
  • Treadmill [HP Cosmos]
  • Climate Chambers [DY110]
  • Controlled Temperature Room
  • InCell Analyser Plate Reader with High Content Microscope [InCell Analyser]
  • Eye tracker [Eyelink 1000]
  • EEG actiCHamp Plus 64 System with actiCAP
  • Fermentation Systems [Labscale]

More tools are available through the University's facilities including:

  • Microplate readers [BMG Labtech CLARIOstar]
  • Flourescene microscopes [Dmi8 Microscope, LSM-880, Z.1 Lightsheet, FACS Aria, FACS Canto, CLARIO star]
  • Flow Cytometers [FACS Aria, FACS Sony ID700]
  • Protein purification [AKTA Go]
  • Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) [AKTA]
  • Hypoxic cabinet equipped with epi-fluorescent microscope Leica Dmi8
  • Hypoxic workstation Baker [Ruskinn Sci-tive Duo]
  • Large Environmental Chamber

Prototyping

  • Laser Cutting Machine [Epiglog Fusion M2 60 Watt]
  • A1 Laser Cutter
  • Abraisive saw [Buehler discutom]
  • Diamond Wire Saw
  • Precision Composite Plate Saw [Compcut 500]
  • Wafer Lapping/Polishing Machine [15VS Variable Speed]

Contact us

Get in touch if you want to use our equipment or laboratories.


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