BayMaterials

Bay Materials’ materials analysis can:

Identify unknown components in a product or material.
Discover the effect of process conditions on material properties.
Optimize process or cure conditions.
Compare your product with a competitor’s.
Determine lot-to-lot differences in properties.
Qualitatively characterize a new or unknown material.

Categories of analysis:

• Thermal Analysis – Used to determine physical properties of materials as a function of temperature and time.
• Spectroscopy – Used to identify the chemical make up of a single material or a formulation.
• Osmometry - Used to determine the concentration of aqueous solutions.
• Viscometry - Used to measure fluid viscosity.
• Surface Measurement - Used to measure the surface dimensions or properties of a material.

Per-sample prices shown below assume samples that require “normal” preparation for the measurement.  We are perfectly happy to accept samples that require special handling, conditioning or preparation, but prices will be higher than the examples given.  Similarly, for recurring testing needs or larger quantities of samples prices can be lower than the examples as batch preparation reduces operator time required.

Details about our equipment and testing is included below.  Bay materials will happily assist you in selecting appropriate testing

Thermal Analysis

Thermal analysis services and capabilities include: custom test method development; expert analysis; comprehensive thermal analysis testing lab.

Pricing for Thermal Analysis testing: $200 per sample.

TA Instruments TGA 2950: Thermo-gravimetric Analyzer

TGA measures amount and rate of weight change versus temperature (or time) in a controlled atmosphere. Methods include: temperature ramp or single temperature (isothermal).

TGA tests can yield the following information:
Variations in composition
Thermal stability up to 1000°C
Characteristic weight loss or gain due to decomposition, oxidation or dehydration

TA Instruments DSC 2010: Differential Scanning Calorimeter*
TA Instruments DSC 2910: Modulated** Differential Scanning Calorimeter

DSC measures endothermic and exothermic transitions as a function of temperature. Methods include: temperature ramp (heat/cool cycles) or single temperature (isothermal).

Transitions measured include:
Glass transition temperature (Tg)
Melting
Crystallization
Curing; degree of cure
Heat Capacity

* Cooling to -70°C for subambient transitions
** Modulated DSC for overlapping thermal events and for thermal conductivity

TA Instruments TMA 2940: Thermal Mechanical Analyzer

TMA measures linear or volumetric changes in dimension as a function of temperature, time and applied force (static). Methods include: temperature ramp or single temperature (isothermal).

TMA testing can be used to determine the following:
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)
Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)
Softening Point
Stress Relaxation / Creep
TA Instruments DMA 2980: Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer

DMA is applied to thin films and small samples – it measures mechanical properties as a function of temperature.  A DMA applies a displacement dynamically to a sample and measures the force response. Response to deformation is monitored as function of temperature, time or frequency.  Methods include: temperature ramp or single temperature (isothermal).  This testing shows elastic recovery of polymer as a function of temperature (e.g. resistance to permanent deformation – mechanical failure – at given load and temperature)

DMA testing can be performed in the following modes:
Sinusoidal (oscillatory) stress
Fixed stress or strain (creep/stress relaxation)
Ramp force (stress versus strain)
DMA characterization features include:
Sensitive probe for polymer transitions and “relaxations” as function of temperature, including glass transition (Tg)
Sensitive method for determining temperatures at which material will show changes in mechanical properties

Instron 5543 with 500N load cell and various attachments
An Instron applies configurable force to a sample while measuring the resulting displacement, or a configurable displacement while measuring the required force. Using different attachments the force on the sample can be compressive, tensile or tangential. Instron testing can provide simple tensile or compressive strength from standard samples, shear or y-pull strength of adhesives or tie layers, as well as more complicated dynamic measurements.
Instron testing commonly measures:

• Tensile or compressive strength of a material
• Strength and peel resistance of tie layers, adhesives or bonds
• Failure analysis of small or medium samples
• Creep and relaxation properties of materials

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is used to identify the chemical make up of a single material or a formulation.  The two primary tools Bay Materials employs are FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and UV-Vis (Ultra Violet – Visible Spectroscopy).

Pricing for FTIR Spectroscopy: $150 per sample.

Pricing for UV-Vis Spectroscopy: $75 per sample.

FTIR is used for samples that absorb infrared (IR) light; most commonly organic substances (polymers & small molecules).  Organic materials show characteristic absorption frequencies from vibration of specific groups of atoms in the IR region.  FTIR cannot be used for metals (no IR absorption of atoms grouped by metallic bonds). However, metallic salts, such as carbonates, sulfates, nitrates/nitrites, and phosphates give characteristic IR spectra.
Services and capabilities: routine analytical testing; analysis of unknowns; identification of unknown material components.

Nicolet Nexus 670 FTIR Spectrometer (Thermo Scientific)

Used for identification of unknown polymers / organics / additives / contaminants

Applications include analysis of:

• Degradation
• Crosslinking
• Crystallinity
• Purity

Attenuated Total Reflectance IR Spectroscopy (ATR)

• Highly sensitive FTIR method used for samples in all forms including; powders, oils, chunks, shavings, flattened pellets, liquids, fibers
• Does not need transparent, thin sample like some other spectroscopy methods.
• Uses a reflective surface in close contact with the sample.
• IR light penetrates sample and bounces back at an angle. (Penetration depth is only ~0.5 mm)
• Very sensitive: can use small thin sample size
• Exclusions: black or reflective samples that do not allow light penetration
• Gives spectra comparable with transmission technique

Perkin Elmer Lambda 20 UV-Visible Spectrometer

UV-Vis Spectroscopy: Used for compounds which absorb light in the ultraviolet or visible range.

• Absorbance of a soluble chemical in solution is measured as a function of wavelength minus the absorbance of the pure solvent.
• Limited to organic molecules that fully dissolve in solvents that do not absorb at the wavelength of interest (commonly water, ethanol and hexane).

Applications:

• Determining unknown concentration of a chemical in solution (Calculated from calibration curve of absorbance versus known concentrations)
• Used to identify simple organic chromophores (absorbing group separated by more than one single bond from other absorbing groups in the molecule)
• Not recommended for unknowns having 2 or more chromophoric groups joined by a single bond between them (conjugated). These cannot be easily analyzed due to large shifts in absorbance values. Instead FTIR spectroscopy is recommended.
• Used to detect relative changes in light absorption due to yellowing or other color formation in a clear solution.
• Shows aging or environmental effects on color by relative absorption difference between unexposed and exposed sample.

Osmometry

Osmometry is analysis of osmotic pressure of solutions. Osmotic pressure is a colligative property of solutions and depend only on the concentration of solute molecules or ions, and are independent of the chemical nature of the solute.

Osmolarity Measurement: Used to characterize the effect of dissolved solute on the osmotic pressure of a water solution. It is a quantitative measurement that is related to the concentration of salts (or soluble molecules) which will produce a certain osmotic pressure.

Pricing for Osmolarity Measurement: $100 for 6 samples

Fiske Model 210 Freezing Point Osmometer (Advanced Instruments, Inc.)

The freezing point osmometer measures the change in the freezing point of water in the solution resulting from the interaction of dissolved particles (molecules, ions) with the water molecules.

A freezing point osmometer can be used for many different types of aqueous solutions which include: bodily fluids, buffers, salts, water miscible organics, water extracted ions or molecules.

Applications:

• Quality control or aging studies where water solution is in contact with a system that potentially gives off ions or molecules (by extraction).
• Monitor change in concentration as a function of time and environment.
• Quality control to verify osmotic concentration of electrolytes or chemical reagents

Surface Measurement

Contact angle is the angle tangential to the edges of a droplet where a liquid meets the solid surface.  It is used to characterize the interactions between specific solids and liquids

Ramé-Hart Contact Angle Goniometer Model 100-00

Contact Angle Goniometer: Used to determine the effective wetting action of a liquid droplet on a solid surface (with 0° being defined as absolute wetting and 180° as completely non-wetting).

Pricing for Contact Angle Measurements: $100 for 3 samples

Applications:

• Measure ability of a liquid, adhesive or lubricant to wet a given surface.
• Measure ability of a given surface to resist wetting by water or other liquids.
• Hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces and solids.
• Determine the surface energy and surface tension of a solid-liquid system.

WYKO NT-2000 Optical Profilometer

An optical profilometer allows us to provide very accurate surface measurement of distances and heights, as well as surface properties of materials such as roughness, waviness, bowing, etc and a detailed view of structure using an optical measurement. The device has two modes of operation, one providing resolution down to an Angstrom with a maximum height variation limit of 160nm, and the other mode providing minimum resolution of around 2nm with a maximum height variation of 500um.

Pricing for Profilometer Measurements: $100 for 3 samples

Applications:

• Measure surface roughness, waviness, bowing, finish, etc.
• Accurate measurment of MEMS, micromolded surfaces, etc.
• Non-contact method – won’t disturb delicate parts or surfaces.
• Powerful QC – view machining or polishing marks and flaws.
• Accurate down to an Angstrom on smooth surfaces.

Viscometry

Viscosity Measurement is used to characterize the viscous flow properties of a liquid.

Brookfield Digital Viscometer (Model RVDVIII CP), with thermal control

Shear Rheometer, Cone and Plate Viscometer: Measures viscosity of a fluid sample by applying shear stress at a specified rate using a rotating cone, plate, or shearing assembly.

Services and capabilities: routine analytical testing; analysis of unknowns

Pricing for Viscosity Measurements: $150 for 3 samples.

The Cone and Plate Rotational Viscometer is capable of measuring medium viscosity fluids including; adhesives, creams, inks, paints, paper and surface coatings, and emulsions.

Applications:

• Quality control: verifying that material flow properties are consistent among batches
• Assessing flow properties for designing process equipment and conditions
• Fluid polymer analysis, where viscosity correlates with the relative difference between molecular weights
• Determining the effect of additives or processing conditions on the flow properties of a raw material or formulation
• Monitoring the progress of a chemical reaction