Besides great minds cutting-edge research requires state-of-the-art equipment. The scope and diversity of methods and devices at the fem not only enables the independent and interdisciplinary work on research projects, but also the supply of a wide range of services. About 150 procedures and test methods are accredited according to DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025.

Deposition Technologies

Electroplating and electroless plating
Pulse plating, high-speed deposition, tampon plating, rotating disc electrode, electroforming, electrodeposition from ionic liquids, modelling and simulation of electrochemical cells and processes

Anodisation
pretreatment procedures, anodising, tampon anodisation, dip coloring, electrolytic coloring

PVD
Magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS/HPPMA, MF, DC), arc deposition

CVD
PACVD: plasma assisted deposition, pulsed CVD

Lacquering
Liquid lacquers, powder lacquers, radiation hardening lacquers (UV/IR)

 
Characterization of Materials and Coatings

Coating thickness
Coulometry, X-ray fluorescence, Ni-STEP-test, magnetic methods, eddy current, metallographic cross section, calotest, profilometry

Coating composition
GDOS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX)

Structure, morphology
High resolution field emission SEM, SEM, FIB, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray reflectometry (XRR)

Roughness
Diamond stylus and laser stylus profilometry

Hardness
Microhardness, ultra-low load hardness, Buchholz hardness, instrumented indentation test (indentation and Martens hardness)

Internal Stress
X-ray diffraction, MSM 200

Ductility
Cupping test, bend test, tensile test

Adhesion
Cross cut, ball impact test, cupping test, bend test, thermal cycle test, soldering test, adhesive bonding test, Rockwell indentation test

Friction, wear
Pin-on-Disk, taber abraser

Color, gloss
Goniospectrometry, glossimetry

Light and weather proof
Artificial weathering, natural weathering

Corrosion
Artificial perspiration, nickel test, ammonia test, electrochemical tests, salt spray tests (NSS, AASS, CASS), humidity tests, climate tests, alternating tests, cyclic corrosion tests, filiform corrosion
 

Materials Testing

Electron microscopy
FE-SEM with EDX, FIB, EBSD and STEM-detector, preparation of TEM-samples, ion polishing
 
Metallography
Optical microscopy with image analysis, coating thickness (cross section)
 
Technological methods
Friction, wear, cupping tests
 
Mechanical methods
Hardness (Vickers, Rockwell, Brinell), tensile test, compression test
 
Physical methods
3d x-ray computed tomography (CT), x-ray diffractometry, measuring of magnetic and electrical properties, contact angle, differential thermal analysis (DTA), calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetry (TG), dilatometry
 
Melting and heat treatment
Arc furnace, induction furnace, rapid quenching, annealing furnace (vacuum and protective gas), investment casting (lost wax technique), centrifugal casting
 

Analytics

Materials analysis, Failure analysis, Recycling
Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICPOES), Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS), Hydrogen Analysis, Photometry (UV-VIS, IR), Chromatography (GC, GC-MS, HPLC, IC), C- and S-Determination, Standard Analyses, Fineness of Precious Metals (fire assay)
 
Characterization of electrolytes
Cyclovoltammetrie (CV), Cyclic Voltammetric Stripping (CVS)
 
Computed Tomography
Damage and failure analysis, dimensional measurement