CVD, with a vacuum range of 0.01 Torr, is used to produce carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the surface of different substrates. Common substrates used in our lab are silicon wafer, carbon fiber, aluminum foil and ceramic. A combination of argon, hydrogen and acetylene gases is used at high temperatures of 600-900 °C to synthesize CNTs.

The system can also work at atmospheric conditions with different source gases.

Contact angle set-up helps in performing contact angle (θ) testing between different substrate/liquid combinations. In-built software determines whether a particular liquid shows hydrophobic (θ>90°) or hydrophilic (θ<90°) nature with a particular substrate.

Controlled droplet flow (@ μs), series imaging, tilt base are some of the special feature of the instrument.

Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) testing machine is one of the most versatile method for determining the dynamic mechanical properties of material at high strain rates(1 x 102 to 2 x 103 s-1). Broadly, it comprises of two bars (incident and transmitted) of maraging stainless steel and gas gun assembly for impacting striker on to incident bar. The striker can be made to impact at various velocities by adjusting air pressure in gas gun. The sample to be tested is placed between incident and transmission bar. The strain gauges, for capturing signals are mounted on to both bars at middle location through data acquisition system. It works on principle of one-dimensional wave propagation. The impedance mismatch between bar material and sample generates three signals (two in incident bar: the incident and reflected wave; and one in the transmission bar: transmitted wave) which are captured by strain gauges in terms of micro-strain. These 3 signals are processed further to evaluate deformation history of specimen. 

Freeze dryer is used for direct sublimation of water molecules from frozen solids thereby creating porous structure with intact cell walls. It performs drying in two subsequent steps of primary drying and secondary drying. It can reach to a temperature of -60 oC at a pressure value of 0.01 mbar, hence assisting in reaching out to a triple point of most inorganic solvents. 

It is used to produce thin films and coatings. PVD is characterized by a process in which the material goes from a condensed phase to a vapour phase and then back to a thin film condensed phase. PVD works at a high vacuum of 6.5X10-5 with liquid nitrogen. Plasma inside PVD can be used for cleaning the workpiece. Thin films of less than 10 nm can be coated and measured using inbuilt thickness meter achieved easily on any material. Material to be coated must be metallic (Fe, Ni, Co, Al, Au, Ag etc.) for PVD. 

EBG is used to deposit thin film coating on a surface of a substrate. In this the material to be deposited is heated to a high vapor pressure by electron bombardment under high vacuum which is then transported by diffusion towards the surface of substrate. The diffused material gets deposited on the substrate by condensation. Coating material can be metallic or non-metallic like ceramics etc.

This instrument is used to convert low voltage electrical signal to high voltage signal. With an output voltage range of 10 kV DC, the system helps us to achieve high voltages required for composite actuation.

With 48 CPUs, 32 GB DDR4, 2TB SATA, 400 GB SSD and NVIDIA card the Tyrone workstation fulfills the computational needs of MAdMatLab.