Research Capabilities
Materials Characterization
The Radiological Materials and Technology Development Group has a broad range of expertise in material characterization. In addition to working closely with other groups with specialized techniques which we use to understand our materials, the glass team and the other teams the Radiological Materials and Technology Development (RMTD) group are stewards of, we have specific characterization capabilities in microscopy, x-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, rheology, and physical/thermal property measurements. Examples are listed below of the characterization techniques used by our staff, and more detailed information:
- Spectroscopy [UV-VIS-NIR, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), THz transmission, Raman*, refractive index*]
- Microscopy [optical, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM)*, helium ion microscopy (HIM)*]
- Diffraction [x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron-backscattered diffraction (EBSD)*, selected area electron diffraction (SAED)*]
- Electrical [melt conductivity, impedance spectroscopy, electrochemical measurements, resistivity*, Hall effect*, magnetoresistance*, dielectric constant*, microwave permittivity*]
- Magnetic [AC and DC susceptibility*, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)*, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)*]
- Ultrasonic [wave reflection, elastic properties*]
- Multiphase Fluids [zeta-potential, particle size distribution (PSD), pore size (BET)*, viscometry]
- Physical/ thermal characterization [density by pycnometry, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dilatometry]
*In conjunction with laboratories stewarded by other PNNL groups and EMSL, the Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory