Facilities

Thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS)

Ultra-high-vacuum Hiden TPD Workstation calibrated for hydrogen and deuterium. 

▪ Hydrogen content measurement: (i) heating from -100 C to 1000 C, (ii) total, lattice, diffusible and trapped hydrogen, (iii) high sensitivity (0.01 wppm)
▪ Trapping analysis: (i) heating rates from 1 to 50 C/min, (ii) dedicated software analysis (TDS Simulator; Oriani, McNabb-Foster, etc.)
▪ Diffusivity measurements: isothermal desorption between -100 C and 400 C
▪ Cryo-stage to measure the lattice and diffusible hydrogen concentration

Gaseous hydrogen permeation

Parr gaseous permeation cell for diffusivity and trapping characterization. Current capabilities:

▪ Mass spec-based ultra-high-resolution approach
▪ H₂ pressure up to 15 bar (1.5 MPa)
▪ Temperature up to 250 C

Electrochemical hydrogen charging 

Gamry 3-electrode electrochemical cells (multiple cells). Characteristics:

▪ Temperature up to 80 C
▪ Galvanostatic/potentiostatic control
▪ Solution recirculation for long-term charging

Electrochemical hydrogen permeation

Customised Devanathan-Stachurski permeation cell. Characteristics:

▪ Temperature up to 80 C
▪ Galvanostatic/potentiostatic control (Gamry)
▪ Solution recirculation for long-term charging

Hydrogen in-situ electrochemical fracture and mechanical testing

Servo-hydraulic actuator with a customised cell for mechanical/fracture testing in hydrogen environments

▪ Tensile, fracture and fatigue experiments in electrochemical environments (corrosive, H-containing)
▪ Matelect DCPD system to measure crack growth
▪ Servo-hydraulic actuator with a load cell of 75 kN

Kemet automatic precision cutter

Wire-Laser Metal 3D Printer (LMD)

Meltio M450 additive manufacturing system for metallic materials.

▪ Ideal for small to medium size part fabrication and multi-metal 3D printing research
▪ 6x200 W direct diode lasers
▪ Increased deposition rate (preheating)
▪ Wire materials: stainless steel, mild steels, carbon steels, titanium alloys, nickel alloy

5kN Micro-tensile testing stage

Deben in-situ testing system, to be used as standalone or within the SEM chamber

▪ 5 kN Load cell
▪ Digital Image Correlation (DIC) capabilities
▪ Uniaxial tension (quasi-static and cyclic), uniaxial compression, 3-point bending

Direct Current Potential Drop (DCPD)

Matelect DCPD system to measure crack growth

Electrochemical corrosion experiments

Gamry 3-electrode electrochemical cell and Gamry potentiostat / galvanostat

▪ Potentiodynamic polarization measurements
▪ Linear polarization resistance measurements (LPR)
▪ Electrochemical impedance measurements (EIS)