Facilities

Metallographic/Physical Metallurgy Laboratory
The Metallographic and Physical Metallurgy Laboratory is on the fourth floor of the Laxalt Mineral Research building (LMR 456). This facility is used for MSE 460. This laboratory includes metallographic polishing stations, sample preparation stations, Olympus Optical Microscopes, two with digital cameras, and stereo microscopes. A Universal MTS Machine (with fatigue capability) with digital controller and associated software is located in this laboratory. A furnace was added to the MTS machine.

Materials Testing Laboratory
This laboratory is housed on the second floor of the Laxalt Mineral Engineering building (LME 202). This laboratory is equipped with two Wilson Rockwell Hardness Testers, a Charpy V-notch tester, and two rolling mills.

Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscope Facilities
Two rooms on the first floor of Laxalt Mineral Engineering were remodeled last year to locate a high-resolution scanning electron microscope (Hitachi S-4700) equipped with an Oxford EDS System. This is a $2.3 million laboratory facility designed to be used for undergraduate and graduate education. The scanning electron microscope includes a built-in camera for distance learning purposes through the Internet. In addition, our high-resolution transmission electron microscope (JEOL 2100F) is equipped with Gatan Multiscan CCD camera, Oxford EDS, and EELS Systems. Recently, an Ion Mill and several preparation accessories have been added to this laboratory.

X-ray Diffraction Laboratory
The X-ray Diffraction Laboratory is housed on the fourth floor of the Laxalt Mineral Research Building (LMR 476). This laboratory is equipped with a Philips diffractometer with modern MDI Jade software. In addition, the laboratory has DSC/TGA/DTA for graduate and undergraduate research and demonstrations.

High Temperature/Synthesis Laboratory
The High Temperature and Ceramic Synthesis Laboratory is located in LME 206. This laboratory is equipped with a high-vacuum furnace, and several Lindberg heat treatment furnaces. The laboratory is equipped with high energy grinding mills for preparation of ceramic nanoparticles. The fire assay assembly is located in the Applied Research Facility (Room 209).

Surface Science/Chemistry Facilities
Our division has an excellent surface science/surface chemistry facility. Lab equipment is used for the Mineral Processing and Materials Characterization course. This laboratory is equipped with a Biorad FTIR (Biorad FTS 6000), a Spectrometer, laser-based electrophoretic measurement equipment, a Digital Tensiometer, an Optical Contact Angle Goniometer, a HP-Gas Chromatograph, a BET Surface Area Measurement (Micrometrics) system, a Perkin Elmer elemental analyzer and two Acoustosizers for size measurements.

Hydrometallurgy Facilities
The Hydrometallurgy Laboratory is located in Room LMR 461 and is equipped with several Gamry Potentiostats and the software for electrochemistry, reactor vessels, autoclaves, Perkin Elmer Atomic Absorption and ICP-MS for chemical analysis. The laboratory is equipped with columns for long-term leaching experiments.

Nanomaterials Synthesis Laboratory
The Nanomaterials Synthesis Laboratories are located on the fourth floor of LMR (LMR 464 and LMR 454). These laboratories are equipped with two computer controlled CVD tube furnaces manufactured by First Nano, a computer-controlled pulse plating system, several computer-controlled analysis systems, an oscilloscope, a Hitachi fluorescence spectrophotometer, and a Microtrac dynamic light scattering system for particle size analysis.

Solidification Laboratory
The Solidification and Crystal Growth Facilities are located in LMR 457 and LMR 460. These laboratories are equipped with three tube furnaces (12, 3, and 1 zones), a programmable box furnace with 12-channel data logger, microscopes, and pressurized dendrite growth systems.

Telescience and Engineering Development Facilities
Also located in LMR 457 and LMR 460 (shared space) are equipment and work space for undergraduate projects in remote and autonomous/robotic systems (land, high-altitude, and space-based systems). Equipment includes a bench-scale CNC vertical milling machine, electronics and mechanical benches, radio communications and GPS navigation equipment, electronics characterization equipment (oscilloscopes, meters, etc.), and general purpose computers.

Mineral Processing Facility
The Mineral Processing Facility is being used for the MSE 324 and is also a multi-user facility. This facility is equipped with crushing/grinding equipment, screening equipment, sample preparation equipment, and a bond-mill. The column and Denver flotation are located in LME 105.