Analytical research
The MCC TMB technology laboratory has equipment for processing samples and examining both inorganic and organic materials.
The laboratory offers the following services:
- Processing of sample sections
- Stratigraphic examination of colored layers
- Metallographic examination of metallic materials
- Elemental analysis using the XRF method
- Analysis of organic materials using the FTIR method
- Evaluation of material suitability using the Oddy test
- Upon agreement, other analytical techniques (e.g., SEM-EDS, CT, X-ray imaging, XRD) can also be provided at external facilities at Brno’s technical and chemical universities.
Laboratory equipment
Olympus BX60 optical microscope
Optical microscope with 50x to 1000x magnification with upper and lower sample illumination. Polarized or UV light can be used to observe the color layers of stratigraphic sections, distinguishing between layers based on the different fluorescence of binders and pigments. Images are captured with a Canon EOS 1100D digital camera with a resolution of 12 MPix and can be processed in NIS Elements image analysis software with measurement capabilities.
Keyence VHX700F digital microscope
The microscope is equipped with two lenses, one with 20x to 200x magnification, which can be used to document details on objects or samples. Thanks to an attachment, this lens can also be used for work outside the stand, which is suitable for large objects. The second lens offers 250x to 2500x magnification, suitable for microscopic examination of metallographic and stratigraphic samples. Samples can be viewed in polarized light, and thanks to the motorization of the stand in the Z axis and software image stacking, samples with a large depth of field can be observed. This also allows 3D images to be processed and subsequently analyzed by measuring profiles, e.g., for relief evaluation.
Olympus Vanta VMR X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF)
This portable spectrometer can be used for analysis both in a stand and in the field. It is equipped with an X-ray tube with a rhodium anode and a voltage of up to 50 kV. The XRF spectrometer is designed for elemental analysis of mainly metallic materials. However, the device is also calibrated for light matrix mode and is supplemented by helium purging of the interior, which allows for the analysis of lighter elements from sodium upwards with a better detection limit. It is therefore possible to determine the composition of other inorganic materials such as enamels, glasses, and silicates, or pigments in colored layers.
Nicolet iS5 infrared spectrometer (FTIR)
The infrared spectrometer is used for molecular analysis of mainly organic materials, such as natural and synthetic polymers in the form of the material itself, or as adhesives or coatings. However, inorganic compounds such as coating fillers or metal corrosion products can also be analyzed to a limited extent. The spectrometer uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) technology and, in addition to the classic ATR attachment, also has an adjustable arm equipped with a camera for focusing on the analyzed area of the sample. The analysis can also be performed using the diffuse reflectance method, which allows for non-contact analysis, but due to the poorer quality of the spectra, its use is limited compared to the ATR technique. The ATR attachment commonly uses a diamond crystal, but germanium can also be used for special purposes (e.g., for carbon black-filled polymers). To evaluate the measured spectra, the spectrometer is equipped with an extensive commercial database of reference spectra for comparison with the sample.
Metrohm Autolab PGSTAT204 Potentiostat
The MCK laboratory is equipped with a modular Autolab PGSTAT204 potentiostat, which is used both for the electrolytic cleaning of corroded metal objects and for performing electroanalytical methods in the field of corrosion and conservation research. The potentiostat is supplemented with a frequency analyzer (FRA module), which can be used to evaluate, for example, the quality of coating systems using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is also equipped with a current booster that enables computer-controlled electrolytic reduction of corrosion layers on larger objects at currents of up to 10 A.
Contact
Mgr. Karel Rapouch, Head of the MCC TMB Laboratory
+ 420 778 522 508, rapouch@tmbrno.cz