Microcharacterization Laboratory of the High Performance Composite Research Chair

Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec
What the facility does

Physico-chemical characterization of polymers and reinforcements used in the manufacturing of composite materials.

Areas of expertise

The laboratory specializes in the microcharacterization of the material polymers and reinforcements used in the manufacturing of composites and nanocomposites by reinforced injection processes. The laboratory’s infrastructure is used to model the kinetics of polymer resins, understand the rheological behaviour of polymer resins and analyse their composition. It is also used to perform dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA) to predict the behaviour of composite materials. The laboratory also specializes in the characterization of the permeability, capillary action, porosity and compressibility of fiber reinforcements. 

Research services
  • Analysis and kinetic rheological modelling of polymer resin behaviour,
  • Polymer rheology,
  • Thermomechanical behaviour of polymers and composites,
  • Capillary action and impregnation of reinforcements and modelling
  • Advanced characterization of polymer resins (DMA-thermal flow, TGA volatiles, spectroscopy).
Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Automotive
  • Defence and security industries
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Transportation
Equipment Function
DSC Q200 (TA Instruments) DSC calorimetry
MCR 501 rheometer (Anton-Paar) Rheology
DMA Q800 (TA Instruments) Thermomechanics
DMA+450 (01dB-Metravib) Thermomechanics
Digital microscope VHX1000E (Keyence) Digital optical microsopy
STA-HP (Linseis) Pressurised TGA-DSC
FTIR 6700 Nicolet (Thermofisher) Infrared spectroscopy
Thermostar MS (Pfeiffer Vacuum) Mass spectroscopy
Capillary rise setup Capillary rise
Infrared camera Infrared thermography
  • Safran Group
  • Bombardier Aerospace
  • Alstom
  • General Electric
  • Composites BHS
  • Marquez Transtech
  • Reebok-CCM
  • General Motors Canada
  • Auto 21 Group
  • National Research Council’s Industrial Materials Institute
  • Centre de Recherche en Plasturgie et Composites CREPEC
  • Airbus
  • Aston Martin
Title URL
Chemical shrinkage and thermomechanical characterization of an epoxy resin during cure by a novel in situ measurement method http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014305713003546
Chemical shrinkage and thermomechanical characterization of different. Resin systems and prepregs during cure by a novel in situ measurement http://toc.proceedings.com/19787webtoc.pdf
A Comparative Study of Dispersion Techniques for Nanocomposite Made with Nanoclays and an Unsaturated Polyester Resin http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/2011/406087/
A Study of Nanoclay Reinforcement of Biocomposites Made by Liquid Composite Molding http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijps/2011/964193/
Predicting the cure of thermosetting polymers: The isoconversion map http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pc.20710/abstract
Experimental Characterization by Fluorescence of Capillary Flows in the Fiber Tows of Engineering Fabrics http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=21158#.VNpS0Plfa-0
Prediction of optimal flow front velocity to minimize void formation in dual scale fibrous reinforcements http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12289-012-1111-x#page-1
Modeling of resin cure kinetics for molding cycle optimization http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/FPCM/FPCM08/FPCM8/papers/FPCM8_18.pdf