Materials Science and Technology

Phisical-chemical and morphological analysis

• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) - Star System DSC1/700 - Mettler Toledo (T range: +30°C +500°C);
• Modulated DSC - Q100 - TA Instruments (T range: -90°C +500°C)
• Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) - Q500 - TA Instruments (T range: +30°C +900°C) 
• Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) – Nicolet iS50 - Thermo Fisher (Wavelength range: 4600-550 nm; it is possible to connect it to TGA) 
• UV-vis Spectrophotometry - UV31 SCAN –ONDA - Perkin-Elmer (Wavelength range: 190-1100 nm) 
• Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) - Perkin-Elmer
• Standard equipment for synthesis and chemical analyses
• Travelling Optical Microscopy - MS5 - Leica
• Optical Microscope - DMS300 - Leica 
• Access to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) – Carl Zeiss
• Muffle furnace - B180 - Nabertherm (T range: +30°C +3000°C)
• Binder oven - Binder VD 53 (T range: +30°C +200°C)
• Heraeus oven - VTR 5036 (T range: +30°C +180°C)

Mechanical analysis

• Universal dynamometer for mechanical testing - Instron 3366 - Instron (load cells: 50N, 500N, 10kN) 
• Instrumented pendulum for impact tests – model 4545 - Ceast
• Dynamic dynamometer - Instron
• Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analyzer (DMTA) - Q800 - TA Instruments (T range: -90°C +250°C) 
• Equipment for specimen notching (for impact, fracture mechanics tests) - Ceast

Rheological analysis

• Twin-bore capillary rheometer - Rheologic 5000 - Ceast
• Rotational rheometer - ARES G2 - TA Instruments
• Melt Flow Indexer - Ceast
• Instrument for melt stretching tests

 Processing machines

• Internal mixer - EC Brabender – Brabender
• Compression molding platen press – Laboratory planet press P200 - E-Collin
• 3D printer - Raise3D Pro2 (fused deposition modelling technology –FDM) - Raise 3D
• Freeze-dryer - HyperCOOL HC3055 - Lab Tech

Analysis with CAE software

• Software for simulation of injection molding process of plastic and rubber parts - Autodesk® Simulation Moldflow®
• Software for non-linear structural simulation and multiphysics modelling with: MARC MENTAT - MSC Software

Software with commercial licence via Spin-Off - ITL srl.

Development of advanced polymeric materials

• nano-/micro-composites 
• model systems
• materials for sensing applications 
• materials for biomedical applications
• bio-plastics
• polymer blends

Mechanics of polymers, composites and nanocomposites

• viscoelastic behaviour
• thermal and dynamic behaviour 
• mechanical failure and environmental effects 
• fracture mechanics
• development of new testing methodologies
• deformation mechanisms (model/industrial materials)

Rheology of polymers and polymer-based systems

• rheology of nanocomposites
• structure-property relationships
• development of testing methodologies for the measurement of elongational viscosity
• study of flow instabilities (“melt fracture”)

Technology and engineering of plastics products

• development of criterions for design with polymeric materials
• re-design of components
• fine tuning/optimization of process conditions