Equipment
We operate and maintain several pieces of equipment that are used for in situ experiments on beamlines or that can be used for off-line measurements complementing X-ray or neutron experiments. When The University of Manchester equipment is used in an experiment that results in a publication, the publication will reference The University of Manchester collaboration in the following manner: "This experiment was possible due to the contribution of The University of Manchester at Harwell (UoMaH) rig reference rig name".
Equipment currently available:
Deben CT500 micro-tensile test machine for tomography
- Applied force: Up to 100 N, 1% accuracy
- Movement: up to 10 mm stroke, 300 nm accuracy
- Sample size: up to 25 mm long, 6 mm diameter
Deben CT5000 micro-tensile test machine for tomography
- Applied force: Up to 5 kN, 1% accuracy, 500 N load cell also available
- Movement: up to 10 mm stroke, 300 nm accuracy
- Sample size: up to 35 mm long, 20 mm diameter
- Temperature control: -20 – 160 °C, monitoring to 0.1 °C
Deben CT5000 – toxics containment cell
- Containment: double-walled
- Sample volume: 15 mm long, 8.5 mm diameter
- Compression stroke: 3 mm
- Room temperature and pressure only
- External SF6 leak-test documents available (please email for information)
Electro-thermo-mechanical tester (ETMT)
- 3 kN universal test machine
- Fast heating of samples through direct electrical resistance heating
- Heating rate up to 200 °C/s.
- Cooling rate up to 100 °C/s.
- Optional inert gas environment
Energetic materials confinement and interlock system
- For fast (10 kHz) radiography of energetic materials undergoing deflagration to detonation transition (DDT)
- Maximum 350 mg of material
Impactor and interlock system
- For fast imaging and radiography of materials under 30-80 m/s impact
- Range of impactors available on request
Nikon CT 225ST – X-ray computed tomography system
Our Nikon XTEK XTH 225 micro-focus CT system captures the internal geometry and morphology of a wide range of materials.
Applications:
- Advance material research (porosity, distribution of specimens, real-time radiography of structural modification etc.)
- Fault detection
- Digital archiving of models
- Assembly inspection of complex mechanism or parts
- Part to CAD comparison
- Analysis of biological structures (medical or palaeontological samples)
- Non-destructive technique to study hidden features of historical and archaeological samples.
Benefits:
- Suitable for a wide range of materials and sample sizes
- Flexibility combined in a single system: X-ray for quick visual inspection, CT for in-depth analysis
- Fast data capture and high-quality images
- Fast operation with interactive joystick navigation
- High-resolution digital imaging and processing
- Safe system
- Tight integration with industry standard post-processing applications
- Can be used in conjunction with a variety of rigs for mechanical testing (i.e. tension, compression, indentation etc.).
Features:
- Powerful 225 kV micro-focus source with a 3 µm spot size
- W reflection target and an optional multi-metal reflection target (W, Cu, Mo, Si).
- 5-axis fully programmable part manipulator X(450 nm), Y(350 nm), Z (725 nm), Tilt (+/- 30o), Rotation (330o)
- Real-time X-ray visualization and fast CT reconstruction
- Inspection cabinet (2.4 m x 1.3 m x 2.2 m) can accommodate samples up to 50 kg and 50 cm diameter in addition to rigs.
- Option to image sub-volumes (region of interest) within larger specimens (not available for all samples)
- System to allow routing of cables and pipes that can control and feed in situ rigs for time-resolved (4D) µ-CT experiments.
- 16 bit flat panel detector with 2000 x 2000 active pixels and 200 µm pixel size
- Inspect-X software
- Scan times vary from 30 minutes to several hours
- Resolution will vary from three to hundreds of microns, depending the size of the samples.
Data analysis will be performed either in house or by 3Dmagination.
Radiochemistry containment cell
- Transuranic Sample Holder for XAS (TSH-XAS)
- Uses standard Nalgene cryovial for sample
- Triple-walled containment cell
- Design and testing documents available (please email for information)
- Made by Fairbrother and Grimshaw Engineering Ltd
- Contact Sam Shaw for advice, systems of work and loan of cells