The microscopy lab is a very powerful lab equipped with up to date technology throughout. The very talented staff is trained to get the most out of the equipment which includes stereo, compound, scanning electron microscopes and more. These tools are often used for imaging, identification, reverse engineering, product development and problem solving.
Please contact the Microscopy Lab to discuss your microscopy needs.
Leslie Berryhill Taft: 704-825-6293
Katrina Penegar: 704-825-6292
Jim Taft: 704-825-6298
Services Offered
- Sample Prep and Manipulation
This fee is for non-routine sample prep such as unraveling a warp knit or manipulating 5 micron particles for EDX analysis. - Sample Examination
Sample investigation - Polishing
Metal samples or epoxy mounts. - Optical Microscopy
Optical microscopy includes stereo zoom microscopy and compound microscopy. - Microscopic Infrared Analysis
The lab has an IlluminatIR II for doing microscope ATR or ARO analysis. - Mod Ratio & DPF
Similar to determining fiber dpf with the addition of mod ratio also being calculated - Hot stage Analysis
The lab has a Mettler hot stage. The hot stage can be thought of as Differential Scanning Calorimetry with images instead of a thermal analysis plot. - Filament Count
Yarn cross-section via thin sectioning device. - Fiber Stain
Gross determination of fiber types in an unknown sample - Fiber Shrinkage
Fiber shrinkage determined by Mettler Hot stage and Image Analysis - Fiber Identification
Unknown fibers are identified by using a combination of microscopy infrared and cross section analysis. Additional testing may be required such as hot stage and EDX at an additional cost. - Fiber dpf
Calculate fiber dpf by using image analysis to measures the fiber cross- sectional area. - Fiber Birefringence
- Failure Analysis
Did the sample fail from stress overload, brittle fracture, environmental stress cracking, chemical attack, etc. This does not include the cost of contaminant identification. - Data Compilation
- Epoxy Cross-section
This technique is used to cross-section high strength yarns such as Para-aramid. - Scanning Electron Microscopy
The lab has two scanning electron microscopes. The Amray1830 is a conventional high vacuum SEM with EDXRA (energy dispersive x-ray analysis). - EDX
SEM EDXRA (energy dispersive x-ray analysis) - EDX Mapping
- Density Column
Fiber or yarn – n=3 / Chip – n=10 / Bottle Flake – n=1 - Cross-section
Digital image of fiber, yarn or multilayer film cross-section. - Crimp per inch by image analysis (n=30)
- Cotton Maturity Detection
- Contamination Identification
The lab is skilled at contamination identification by combining sample manipulation, polarized light, microscope infrared, hot stage, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis techniques to identify contaminants. - Chemical Extraction
Water, alcohol, hexanes, acetone and xylene for contamination investigation. - Bicomponent Fiber dpf
Similar to determining fiber dpf, but the weight percent of each component is also included. - Freeze Fracture
Prepares foamed samples for SEM imaging - Micro Extraction (HFIP gel analysis)
Chemical extraction typically involving 0.05 milliliters or less of solvent - Nonwoven Reverse Engineering
The lab is skilled at reverse engineering nonwoven fabrics. The lab can identify each fiber type and the type of binder, providing a complete blend analysis. - Pyrolysis
Sample prep for elastomeric materials - Blend Analysis (2 fiber types)
Microscopy techniques are used to determined blend analysis when analytical techniques (e.g. dissolve out) cannot be used. Examples of when analytical techniques cannot be used are a heather blend of black and white polyester or a blend of cotton and rayon. Each additional fiber type adds to the cost. - Blend Analysis (Non-woven)
