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Overview

The Surface and Material Sciences (SMS) Core Laboratory is a state-of-the-art research facility equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced analytical instruments designed for detailed surface, structural and compositional characterization of materials. The laboratory supports a wide range of field applications including materials science and engineering, chemistry and catalysis, environmental and geosciences, mechanical and civil engineering, life sciences and biomaterials, as well as electronics and energy research.



Surface and Material Sciences Core Laboratory
Scope

The Surface and Material Sciences Core Laboratory provides advanced analytical capabilities for studying materials and biological samples, including:

  • • Materials Characterization: Structural, compositional, and thermal property analysis.
  • • Surface Properties Analysis: Characterization of materials surfaces at both the microscale and nanoscale.
  • • Biological Sample Characterization: Structural and surface analyses of biological specimens.
  • • Single Crystal Analysis: Comprehensive structural analysis of single crystals.
Key Capabilities
KEY EQUIPMENT
  • Elemental composition analysis, oxidation state determination and chemical bonding studies of material surfaces. Applications include thin films, coatings, semiconductors, catalysts.
  • Phase and mineral identification and structure determination of crystalline materials: Detailed crystallographic information, phase identification, and structural analysis of powders, thin films, and bulk samples. Applications include polymer crystallinity, cement analysis, metal alloy, etc.
  • Phase identification and structural determination of single crystallographic phase, i.e. atomic arrangement in the crystal.
  • Elemental composition studies and functional group determination and sample topography studies: Nanoscale surface topography mapping, electrical and mechanical property measurements. Applications include biomaterials, nanocoating and nanodevices.
  • Molecular structure determination, stress/strain mapping and phase changes. Applications include 2D materials, pharmaceuticals, biological and geological samples.
  • Solving molecule structures with diffracting X-rays.
  • Mechanical, functional and electrical properties characterizations at nanoscale.
  • Chemical composition and structural characterization of materials and biological samples.
  • Near-field scanning optical microscopy (SNOM) analysis.
  • Thermal characterization techniques: Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for understanding material degradation, heat flow, and phase transitions. Applications include composites, packaging materials, aerospace components.
Equipment Model / Manufacturer
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) ESCALAB QXi+ / Thermo Fisher Scientific
Powder X-Ray Diffractometer Empyrean / Malvern Panalytical
Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Synergy-S Cu and Mo / Rigaku
Fourier Transform IR (FTIR) Spectroscopy Vertex 80v FTIR / Bruker
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) NanoObserver / CSI
MFD / Oxford Asylum
Raman Spectroscopy alpha300R / WITec
Labram Evolution /Horiba
Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer: Thermal Gravimetric Aanalysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry STA449F3 / NETZSCH
Differential Scanning Calorimeter DSC 404 F1 Pegasus / NETZSCH
Lab Custodian

Dr. Thomas Delclos

Contact Number

+971 (0)2 312 4340

Email

thomas.delclos@ku.ac.ae

Staff

Anjana Tharalekshmy, Dr. Praveen Managutti

Location

Labs 8023/8025/8027, Arzanah Building, Sas Al Nakhl (SAN) Campus, Khalifa University.

Hours of Operation

• Monday to Thursday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
• Friday: 8:30 am – 1:00 pm

Lab Access

To ensure a safe working environment, all users of Research Core Laboratories must complete the university’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) training modules relevant to each laboratory they intend to access. The specific training modules along with the user approval process for the Surface and Material Sciences Core Laboratory are detailed at [webpage link].