Companies, N.1/2022

ALFATESTLAB

Written by Editor × April 20, 2022

MATERIALS CONTROL AND ANALYSIS

Get experts’ support to improve your processes, for quality control, trouble shooting, failure analysis, or R&D
Optimising your existing process or formulating and producing an innovative product may require characterization techniques not yet available in your company. ALFATESTLab offers a unique technological platform dedicated to materials characterization.
Our team of experts can help you improve your processes by controlling the specific physical properties of your products. Hereby some examples:

Membranes, filters, nonwovens
The performance evaluation of a filter or a membrane may require the characterization of fiber thickness, pores size distribution, and gas permeability.
ALFATESTLab provides these measurements thanks to porometer technology and scanning electron microscopes SEM coupled to a unique software for automatic measurement of fiber thickness, and pore size distribution. The high-resolution images allow microstructural analysis and chemical microanalysis for an accurate quality evaluation.
Cements
Properties such as particle size, morphology, porosity, water absorption and rheology have a crucial impact on the performance of cements and mortars and on the evaluation of degradation phenomena from natural stones or artificial materials (mortars, plasters).
Particle size distribution, particle morphology and surface area are parameters that influence the cement resistance for several reasons, while rheological properties characterization can help in the understanding of the polymerization phenomena. Finally, moisture absorption by building materials may affect their lifetime and should therefore be controlled.

Metal powders
In the metal powders, particle size distribution, morphology, surface area and density may be cause of shoddy compaction and sintering processes. In ALFATESTLab we offer all these characterizations as well as SEM images in high resolution or automated image analysis, to allow an accurate assessment of any imperfections on the final product. Powder rheology is key to optimise metal powders flow properties.
Catalysts
In ALFATESTLab we can analyse properties such as porosity (micro, meso and macro pores), specific surface area and particle size (for example in the case where the porous structure uses nanoparticles as precursors) to improve catalyst activity and efficiency.
Lubrificants, detergents, adhesives, and sealants
In ALFATESTLab we are experts in liquid dispersions characterization. Our technical platform allows us to study emulsions and suspensions controlling the fundamental aspects that rule their efficiency: particle and droplet size, stability to avoid coalescence and creaming, viscosity and rheological properties to control their flow behaviour, high-resolution SEM images to help you understand the influence of formulation parameters on film formation.