Van Vlack Undergraduate Lab

The primary purpose of the Van Vlack Undergraduate Laboratory is to serve the needs of undergraduate students. It is the classroom for MSE laboratory and computational courses, a collaborative space for student projects, and a site to conduct demonstrations and discussions for other MSE courses. The VVUL additionally hosts community outreach events and graduate courses, and the equipment can be used for research when it is not reserved for instructional use.

Students using equipment in the Van Vlack lab

There are two main areas in the laboratory, each housing different types of equipment.

The main room contains a wide variety of materials characterization apparatus, including microscopy, mechanical testing, spectroscopy, and x-ray equipment. It also contains a computer laboratory with access to modern materials research software.
The furnace room contains equipment for sample preparation, including a machine shop, casting and heat-treatment furnaces, and chemical supplies.

Rigaku SuperMini XRF

Mechanical Properties

Instron 3382A

Load frame for performing uniaxial mechanical tests – tension, compression, bending. Various grips are available and T-slot table allows for custom fixtures. Maximum load 100 kN with less than 1% error in force measurements; clip-on...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Instron 68SC-1

Single-column load frame for low-force sample testing. 1 kN load cell with 0.5% error down to 1 N. Position control down to 10 nm. Tensile, compression, three-point bending, and peel fixtures available. Software capable of...

Location: Dow 2224

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MTS Insight Electromechanical-10 kN Standard Length

Load frame for performing uniaxial mechanical tests – tension, compression, bending. Various grips are available. Maximum load 10 kN with less than 1% error in force measurements; clip-on extensometer allows strain measurement to better than...

Location: Dow 2224

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Sonntag Universal Impact Machine

Impact tester used for Charpy impact tests. Only used for class demonstrations, not suitable for research.

Location: Dow 2224

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Wilson/Rockwell Series 500 Hardness Tester

Standard Rockwell hardness tester. Rockwell B and C indenters available. 60, 100, and 150 Kg load forces.

Location: Dow 2224

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Zwick/Roell DuraScan 20 Microhardness Tester

Microhardness tester optimized for mounted/polished specimens but can be used with a variety of flat specimen geometries. Capable of Vickers hardness testing from 10g to 60kg, and of Knoop hardness testing from 10g to 2kg....

Location: Dow 2224

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Microscopy

JEOL JSM-IT500HR with SE/BSE/EDS

Scanning electron microscope for secondary and backscatter imaging and EDS elemental analysis/mapping. Voltage range 500V to 30 kV, resolution better than 5nm under ideal conditions, motorized 5-axis stage. Beginner-friendly interface includes automatic focus, stigmation, and...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Keyence VHX-S770E Microscope with VHX-7020 Integrated Camera

Advanced motorized microscope well suited for failure analysis or complex microscopy samples. High definition camera with adjustable ring and coaxial lighting. Three auto-adjusting lenses provide magnification up to 2500x. Ability to set microscope lens at...

Location: Dow 2224

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Nikon AZ100 Microscope with Nikon Digital Sight DS-5M Camera

Low-magnification microscope with wide field of view. Recommended for macrophotography applications.

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Nikon Eclipse Ci Biological Microscope with DS-Ri2 Camera

Upright optical microscope optimized for biological specimens. Fluorescence lamp is available and stage includes a slide holder. Objectives range from 5x to 100x and maximum image capture resolution is 16 megapixels. Onboard Nikon Elements software...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Nikon Eclipse LV100ND Upright Microscope with DS-Ri2 Cameras

General-purpose upright optical microscopes with brightfield and darkfield illumination modes. Polarizers and prisms for Nomarsky/DIC imaging are available. Objectives range from 5x to 100x and maximum image capture resolution is 16 megapixels. Onboard Nikon Elements software...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Nikon Eclipse MA 200 Inverted Microscope with DS-Ri2

Inverted optical microscope optimized for metallographic specimens. Objectives range from 5x to 100x and maximum image capture resolution is 16 megapixels. Onboard Nikon Elements software enables image processing tasks including phase measurement, horizontal and vertical...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Physical Properties

DynaCool Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS)

Quantum Design’s PPMS provides experimentalists the ability to measure electrical, magnetic, thermal and optical properties of materials. The Cryogen Free DynaCool PPMS system can control the sample temperature from 1.8 K to 400 K with a maximum...

Location: 2171 HH Dow

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Sample Preparation

AVS-Pillar Casting Furnace

Open-air melt furnace with hydraulic legs for casting. Crucible can accommodate up to 50 lbs of metal. Usage is reserved for MSE 360/365.

Location: Dow 2231

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AVS-Pillar Vacuum Induction Furnace

Custom vacuum furnace for melting/casting of up to 15 pounds of material. Operation up to 1800°C with approximately 15 minute melt time. Vacuum pressures of up to 10-5 Torr with diffusion pump. Multiple casting molds...

Location: 2231 HH Dow

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Carver Hydraulic Press

Manual hydraulic press with thermostatic platens. 12-ton max clamping force with a 6 in2 platen area. Heated platens with thermostat control allow press temperatures between 150-500°F.

Location: Dow 2231

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DoAll Band saw

Vertical band saw for general material sectioning. Fence provides brace for straight cuts. Adjustable push arm can be used to set angle of cut on material. Different saw blades are available depending on size of...

Location: Dow 2231

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Fisherbrand Digital Heated Ultrasonic Cleaner

Basic ultrasonic sample cleaner. Cleaner operates at 40k Hz, with high and low cleaning power settings. Cleaner is equipped with additional heater, up to 80°C, for more effective removal of dirt and oil and degassing...

Location: Dow 2231

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Furnace, VWR Signature™ Gravity Convection Ovens

Small, low temperature drying oven. Temperature ranges from 40°C to 240°C. Simple timer to control oven duration.

Location: 2231 HH Dow

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Haas CNC Machine (VF-1)

Three-axis milling machine for custom fabrication of test equipment or samples. Capable of producing complex part geometry through milling, drilling, and facing of material. Use of the VF-1 is restricted to lab staff. Users wishing...

Location: 2231 HH Dow

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Hummer Sputter Coater

Sputter coater for coating poor or non-conducting samples for SEM imaging. Coats with gold-palladium mixture. Large chamber for coating of multiple small samples or few large samples. Adjustable voltage timer to control deposition thickness.

Location: Dow 2224

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LECO MSX205 Sectioning Machine

High-powered saw for sectioning of tough samples. Uses abrasive blade with coolant and variable speed control. X-axis control spindle, adjustable table, and vise can be used for exact sample positioning. Downward cutting force controlled by...

Location: Dow 2231

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LECO MX400 Mounting Press

Programmable mounting press with multiple mounting materials. Van Vlack programmed methods available for user’s ease of use. Spacing mounts available to allow two samples to be mounted in one cycle. Standard, conductive, and clear epoxy...

Location: Dow 2231

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QATM Grinder/Polisher

Combination grinder and polisher for preparation of metallographic samples. Both single-sample and multiple-sample holders available. Adjustable preset programs for mounted samples, along with hand grinding/polishing mode. Users are required to provide their own consumables (grinding...

Location: Dow 2231

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RTC 1000 Furnace

Small ceramic firing kiln. Used for MSE summer outreach programs.

Location: 2231 HH Dow

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ThermoScientific Lindberg/Blue M™ LGO Box Furnace

Multi-use programmable lab furnace for general heating. Operating temperatures from 100°C to 1200°C. Multi-step programming provides highly customizable thermal treatments. Flow gas meter included for users requiring inert atmospheres during heating.

Location: Dow 2231

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Ultimaker S7 3D Printer

FDM printer with dual nozzle functionality. Removable build plate can be flexed to detach parts. Active leveling program to ensure parts are square to build plate. Ultimaker line of filaments with preset parameters available for...

Location: Dow 2231

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Spectroscopy and Calorimetry

Differential Scanning Calorimeter (Discovery DSC 2500)

Differential scanning calorimeter with 54-position autosampler. Refrigerated cooling system permits measurements between -90°C to 400°C. Integrated software package provides simple method programming, queuing of samples for autosampler, and analysis tools.

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (Discovery DMA 850)

Analyzer for testing mechanical properties of materials at various temperatures. Ideal for testing soft polymers and thin films. Fixturing includes clamps for tensile testing, dual/single cantilever bending, three-point bending, and a submersion vessel for testing...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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JASCO FT/IR – 4X Spectrometer with JASCO ATR Pro 4X

4X spectrometer for probing covalent bond structure of specimens; especially useful for studying organic polymers. ATR stage allows testing of solid, liquid, or powder samples. Software with programmed walkthrough for easy use, along with robust...

Location: Dow 2224

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JASCO V-770 UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer

Spectrophotometer for investigating sample behavior in the near-IR to UV region. Sample holders for thin films and liquid samples available. Wavelength measurement range extends from 190 to 2700 nm. In-depth spectra analysis software can be...

Location: Dow 2224

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Netzsch LFA 717 HyperFlash

Tool for measuring thermal diffusivity of various materials. Capable of running 16 samples simultaneously. Testable temperature range of -100°C to 500°C. Can test samples in atmosphere and under vacuum. Method and analysis software can be...

Location: Dow 2224

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Renishaw inVia Qontor Raman Microscope

Raman microscope with 532 nm and 785 nm lasers installed. Leica optical system with x5, x20, and x50 objectives. Fully motorized stage with software control. LiveTrack focusing provides 3D mapping and chemical identification of uneven...

Location: 2224 HH Dow

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Rigaku Supermini 200 XRF

X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for measuring elemental composition of specimens. Can accept solid, powder, or liquid specimens. Allows for composition measurement to better than 0.1%.

Location: 2219 HH Dow

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X-Ray Diffractometry

Rigaku Miniflex

Rigaku MiniFlex 600 XRD

A beginner-friendly x-ray diffractometer for performing theta/2-theta scans. Optimized for powder diffraction but can accommodate other specimen types. University radiation safety course and dosimeter paperwork required before training/use. PDXL software for analysis with various databases...

Location: Dow 2219

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Rigaku SmartLab

Rigaku SmartLab XRD

A versatile and powerful X-ray diffractometer. The Smartlab is highly configurable and allows for a variety of measurement types including theta/2-theta scans, pole figure measurements, small-angle diffraction, and more. Thermally controlled stage for both cryogenic...

Location: 2219 HH Dow Hanawalt X-ray MicroAnalysis Laboratory (XMAL)

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