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Materials Characterization Laboratory


The Materials Characterization laboratories have the capability to test and characterize all types of materials used in the transportation industry. The laboratory is comprised of seven areas of expertise including: metallography, fractography/scanning electron microscope, x-ray chemistry, corrosion, mechanical properties, analytical chemistry, and nondestructive evaluation. Testing capabilities are as follows:


Corrosion Lab

  • Cyclic
  • CASS
  • Humidity
  • Salt Spray
  • Gravelometer
 Corrosion Lab


SEM/Fractography Lab

  • Scanning Electron Microscopy
  • Fracture Analysis/Fractography
  • Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy
  • Energy Dispersive X-Ray
  • Fluorescence
SEM/Fractography Lab


X-Ray Spectrochemical Lab

  • X-Ray Fluorescence
  • X-Ray Diffraction
X-Ray Spectrochemical Lab


Analytical Chemistry Lab

  • Optical Emission Spectroscopy
  • Inductively Coupled Plasma
  • Classical Wet
  • Leco Carbon/Sulfur
  • Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectromy
  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spec.
  • Thermogravimetric Analysis
  • Differential Scanning Cal.
  • Dynamic Mech. Analysis
 Analytical Chemistry Lab

Non-Destructive Evaluation

  • Fluorescent Liquid Penetrant
  • Fluorescent Magnetic Particle
  • X-Ray Radiography/Radioscopy


Mechanical Properties Lab

  • Hardness- Rockwell, Brinell
  • Micro - Hardness
  • Tension/Compression
  • Torsion
  • Charpy/Izod Impact

Metallography Lab

  • Macro Etch
  • Macro Photography
  • Light Microscopy
  • Image Analysis