Materials Engineering
The Materials Department shows a strong experience concerning corrosion behavior depending on the tested material or/and used medium). The measurement can be performed by potential scanning, by intensity scanning, or at a given potential (static measurement).
A specificity of our laboratory is the knowledge in measuring corrosion rate when two or more metallic parts are in contact (galvanic behavior), allowing comparison and evaluation of :
- The criticism of the obtain system.
- The effect of a potential surface treatment on one (or more) of the metallic part(s).
- The effect of heat treatment on one (or more) of the metallic part(s).
- The kinetic of the corrosion versus time.
- Automotive.
With metallic, polymers, ceramics and composites experts, the staff of the Materials Department can help industrial partner to innovate by :
- Improving specific parts of processes,
- Creating or designing new parts or processes,
- …
Expertise can also be realized in order to determine the microstructure, the general behavior, the thermal treatment, the surface treatment, the hardness, the mechanical characteristics, origin of failure… of a large range of materials and systems.
Technology Transfer and Innovation
Kinetics of corrosion established between two or more metallic.
Establishment of a galvanic scale (to help designers working in R&D Departments with the choice of materials).
Simulation and optimisation of resin injection in RTM composite process
Partner : AIRBUS Nantes
Aims of the project :
- Confirm the capability to manufacture complex composite part using RTM process.
- Define the injection parameters.
- Verify the materials health of the manufactured part.
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- Numerical simulation of resin injection
- Design injection tool
- Non Destructive Inspection using US
- Destructive control – micrographics analysis
Optimization of mechanical properties of stainless steels (medical field)
Partner : SUTUREX RENODEX
Aims of the project :
- Optimization of the hardening heat treatment without decreasing the corrosion resistance (to find a compromise).
- Experimental design to reduce the number of experiments and to know the effect of each parameter on the plasticity.
- Conception and manufacturing of a system to estimate the brightness of the final needle (quality test).
Facilities
Specific software:
- NEMROD W (experimental design).
- PICAT (simulation of polymers injection).
Testing Machines :
- ZEISS optical microscope with SYMAXOS-PRO software for image treatment (magnification ranging from 6 to 50 for a first device, an from 100 to 1000 for the second one).
- HITACHI 570 SEM with EDX analysis, KEVEX delta (driven by NORAN SYSTEM 6 software).
- IR-FT spectroscopy device.
- Electrochemical RADIOMETER devices PGP201 and PGZ100 (driven by VOLTAMASTER4 software).
- NETZSCH Thermal analysis devices : DSC 200F3 ; ATD-ATG STA 409PC ; Dilatometer DIL 402PC.
- INSTRON Mechanical testing (5kN, 100kN, 300kN sensors), with ZWICK electronic system (driven by TESTXPERT II).
- MITUTOYO Microhardness device.
- EMCO TEST Hardness device.
- Laser granulometer (MALVERN Mastersizer 2000) available for dry powders or powders dispersed in liquid solutions.
- Furnaces up to 1600°C under controlled atmosphere.