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Powder Metallurgy & X-ray Laboratory

Professor Vinod Sarin
750 Commonwealth Avenue, Rm. B10
Phone: 617/353-6615

The powder processing laboratory is equipped to batch, process, and densify a wide variety of materials. Particle size reduction and uniform mixing are essential in any powder preparation. In addition to a 500cc capacity attritor mill for processing small powder batches, an extensive selection of ball mill sizes and a variety of milling media, including silicon nitride and titanium carbide, are available. Consolidation and sintering capabilities include vacuum, over pressure, and hot pressing up to 25,000 KgF and temperatures in excess of 2400sC. These capabilities make the powder processing laboratory uniquely equipped for developing high temperature monolithic and composite materials. The laboratory is also equipped with two X-ray generators that have full capability to perform diffraction studies on crystalline materials: a Siemens (Nicolet) computer-controlled vertical diffractometer with independent theta and two axis and a stand-alone Phillips configured with copper radiation. This unit extends the laboratory's capability to perform single crystal back reflection Laue studies for crystal orientation. In addition, several Debye Scherman powder cameras are also available.