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
Specialized labs and equipment
- Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): Thermal characterization of materials, including phase transitions, heat capacity, and thermal stability.
- Rheology: Measurement of flow and deformation behaviour of materials under controlled stress or strain.
- Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA): Evaluation of viscoelastic and thermomechanical properties of materials as a function of temperature, frequency, or time.
- Digital optical microscopy: High‑resolution imaging and surface inspection of materials and microstructures.
- Simultaneous thermal analysis (pressurized TGA‑DSC): Analysis of mass changes and thermal events under controlled and pressurized atmospheres.
- Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR): Chemical and molecular characterization based on infrared absorption spectra.
- Mass spectrometry: Analysis of gas composition and evolved species during thermal or vacuum processes.
- Capillary rise analysis: Determination of wetting behaviour and surface energy through liquid penetration in porous materials (capillary rise setup).
- Infrared thermography: Non‑contact measurement and visualization of surface temperature distributions using infrared imaging (infrared camera).
Private and public sector research partners
- 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