Resources

The laboratory hosts a variety of processing and characterization equipment. Please contact Prof. Vogt (bdv5051@psu.edu) if you are interested in using any of this equipment. Effective training and standard operating procedures (SOP) are provided prior to operating any equipment. It is imperative that these protocols are followed to both protect all researchers in the lab, but also the functioning of the equipment.

Processing equipment

3D printer (Roboze One+400 Xtreme )


Fused deposition modeling (FDM) type 3D printer. For engineering plastic applications, nozzle extrusion temperature can reach up to 500°C and building bed can reach up to 180°C. Printer is equipped with vacuum building bed system which allows switching building surface quick and easily.

Capillary rheometer 

Capillary rheometer is capable to measure viscosity of polymer melts and also equipped with customized extrusion die for fabrication of 3D printing filaments.

Mini compounder 

Compounder for preparing polymer blends or composite. Additive such as clay, short fiber and pigment can be easily blend into polymer melt.

Thinky mixer

 

High speed rotational mixer for blending polymer solution or paste like materials.

Heat press 

Flow coater

Polymer solution casting on a substrate in order to fabricate a thin film.

Spin coating

Characterization equipment

Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D)

QCM-D measures the frequency and dissipation to analyze the molecular properties, such as their mass, thickness, and viscoelastic properties.

Spectroscopic Ellipsometer

Ellipsometer measures polarization changes to determine film thickness and optical constants. Includes cells for controlled vapor flow exposure, heated liquid, simultaneous QCM-D measurements, large area mapping, and heating in air or nitrogen environments.

IR Ellipsometer

Ellipsometer provides same information as the spectroscopic ellipsometer except using wavelengths in the IR region.

Blue light 3D scanner

Enables 3D reconstruction of the surfaces of 3D printed structures

Optical Microscope Profilometer

Discovery HR-20 Rheometer

Differential Scanning Calorimeter