The range of machines and associated techniques employed by our group allows us to test silk under a wide variety of conditions and environments. Combined with our unique modelling capability we aim to turn this wealth of data into information regarding the structure-function properties of silk.
Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analyser (DMTA)
TA Instruments Q800 DMTA Specifications
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Description: DMTA allows the measurement of a material’s stiffness in multiple modes of deformation against a range of temperatures (-150 – 600C). This provides information regarding the modulus of the material and quantifies mechanical transitions on the basis of time (frequency and rate), temperature and humidity. More
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Accessories: Humidity accessory, Low temperature option, complete clamp set (dual cantilever, tension film fibre, shear sandwich, powder clamp, compression submersion, submersion 3-point bend, submersion 3-point bend)
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Differential Scanning Calorimeter
TA Instruments Q2000 DSC Specifications
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Description: DSC subjects a sample to a thermal gradient and measures the amount of energy required to bring the sample to a set temperature. This provides information regarding heat capacity and quantifies energetic transitions within a material (endo or exotherms). More |
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Accessories: 50 sample autosampler, intercooler (-90 – 600C)
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Thermo Gravimetric Analyser
TA Instruments Q500 TGA Specifications
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Description: TGA measures a samples change in weight with respect to temperature. This provides information regarding thermal degradation and water content (ambient – 1000C). More |
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Accessories: Range of crucibles.
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Rheometer
Bohlin Gemini HR Nano Malvern Instruments Specifications
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Description: A rheometer enables the mechanical properties (viscosity, modulus) of viscoelastic materials to be determined as a function of time and temperature. More |
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Accessories: Range of cone-and-plate and parallel plate geometries.
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Tensile Tester
Zwick Zwicki-Line Z0.5 Specifications and PDF
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Description: Our new tensile tester allows deformation testing of fibres, films and composites to better accuracy and with less noise than was previously possible, in a logical and efficient workflow package. More
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Accessories: Clamps, load cells, integrated software.
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Tensile Tester
Instron 5542 Specifications and Custom microtensile tester
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Description: Samples (fibres, film, composites) are deformed by pulling them apart, providing information regarding material properties under tension. To get the best from the raw data custom analysis software has been developed. More |
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Accessories: Multiple load cells and clamping options.
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Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy
Thermo Nicolet 6700 FTIR Specifications
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Description: FTIR is a measurement technique for collecting infrared spectra, this provides a chemical fingerprint of a material, this is extended through incorporation with a microscope and microscope stage to allow chemical mapping of a sample down to micron resolution. In conjunction with the cryostat it is possible to analyse how the molecular structure/organisation of a material changes in response to temperature (-50 – 600C) More |
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Accessories: Two detectors (MCTA and TEC InGaAs), Transmission mode, Diamond ATR, Diffuse reflectance, FTIR Microscope, motorised stage with >10µm resolution, Oxford Instruments Cryostat, Heated "Golden Gate" Single reflection diamond ATR accessory
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Quantitative Polarisation Microscope
Metripol System Oxford Cryosystems
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Description: The Metripol system permits quantitative measurement of the orientation and amount of birefringence in a sample which provides information regarding its molecular structure and organisation. More
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Accessories: 6 filters, narrow and broad spectrum, range of air, dipping and oil objectives.
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Scanning Electron Microscope
Jeol Neoscope JCM-5000 Specifications
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Description: This is a benchtop solution for scanning electron microscopy. By using a beam of electrons instead of light it is possible to visulaise objects that are smaller then the size limits of conventional light microscopy.The increased depth of field and resolution allows for finer details to be resolved and sub-micron strucutres to be characterised. More
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Accessories: Holders and mounts for practically all SEM stubs
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Portable Laser Vibrometer
Polytec PDV-100 Portable Digital Vibrometer Specifications
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Description: A laser is used to measure vibrations on solid surfaces (e.g. spider web). Being a non-contact method, the vibrometer is very useful at picking up a range of cryptic or small amplitude vibrations 0-22 kHz. Raw time-velocity data can be transformed through accompanying software into frequency-magnitude plots, providing data on vibration propagation, resonance and damping. More
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Accessories: battery or mains powered, portable for the field up to 30 m working distance
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3D Scanning Laser Vibrometer
Polytec PSV-400-3D Scanning Laser Vibrometer Specifications
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Description: Similar to the portable vibrometer, the scanning laser vibrometer allows the vibrations of solid surfaces to be measured. The fitted camera allows accurate focussing of the laser onto the sample of interest and the scanning feature allows large amounts of data to be collected over a given area of shape of interest.
Three scanning heads allows the 3D motion of surfaces to be measured, with a large range of potential applications. Spot size of the laser is down to a few squared millimetres, but samples of smaller sizes can be measured if suspended and the laser can be focussed onto it (e.g. silks).
Working distance is up to 5 m and velocities are up to 10 m/s. The vibrometer has a large frequency range than the portable vibrometer - up to 2.5 MHz.
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Automatic Expresso Machine
Gaggia Titanium 90500 Specifications
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Description: This is a benchtop solution for research stimulation. By using two boilers it is possible to eliminate wait time between brewing and steaming. With features like the automatic frothing attachment, stainless steel turbo frother, bypass doser, adjustable coffee strength and grind settings, new ideas are brewed up in no time. More
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Accessories: Automatic frothing attachment, bean hopper bypass doser |
