EQUIPMENT AND METHODS

Equipment and Methods

In the Biobased Composites & Processes division, R&D projects from the lab- up to the pilot plant scale can be realised using own equipment. In addition, equipment of the JKU is available via various joint projects. 

 

Pilot plant scale equipment

Extrusion/Compounding

  • WPC/NFC extrusion line Cincinnati Fiberex K38 (6-fold gravimetric dosing) 

  • Co-extruder CE 42 

  • Chemical foaming 

  • Filament production for 3D-FLM printing (short and continuous fiber reinforced polymers) 

  • Multifilament melt spinning line FET (0,8 – 3,0 kg/h, max. 2000 m/min) 

  • Various extrusions tools, including slit die rheometry 

  • Brabender DSE 20/40 (5-fold gravimetric dosing) 

  • Brabender KDSE 32  

  • Hot die face pelletizing system Erema K80 

  • Under water granulation system Econ EUP 50 

  • Strand granulation system RIETER Primo 50 

  • Henschel heating/cooling mixer FML 10 / KM 23 (10 L) 

  • Rhönrad mixer 

 

Injection molding

  • Wittmann-Battenfeld SMARTPOWER 120/350 UNILOG B8 (equipped for thermoplastics and thermosets) 

  • Dryer Wittmann-Battenfeld Drymax Aton2 F 120 kompakt (4 x 30 L, 1 x 50 L) 

  • Various tools for specimens, plates, determination of flow distance, so

 

3D printing

  • FLM printer German RepRap X400 PRO V3 (build area 390 x 400 x 330 mm) 

  • FLM printer Original Prusa i3 MK3S incl. Multi Material 2S upgrade kit 

  • 3D scanner Steinbichler COMET LƎD 5M (measuring fields: 45-500 mm, resolution: 5 megapixel, max. accuracy: 18 µm) 

 

High temperature equipment

  •  High temperature chamber furnace (2,300 °C max., usable volume 6 L) 
  • Chamber furnace (900 °C max., usable volume 150 L) 

  • Rotary furnace (1,100 °C max.) 

  • Tube for furnace for oxidation/stabilisation (300 °C max., 5 heating zones each 50 cm) 

  • Tube for furnace for LT carbonisation (1,050 °C max., 5 heating zones each 50 cm) 

  • Tube for furnace for HT carbonisation (1,700 °C max., 2 heating zones each 50 cm) 

 

Material testing / Lab equipment

  • Laboratory press (320 x 320 x 200 mm)

  • Thermal analysis (DSCOIT, High pressure pan, Rapid Cooling; HDT-A/B/C) 

  • Optical analysis (microscopy, REM, XPS) 

  • Pore analysis (gas adsorption, Hg porosimeter) 

  • Mechanical testing (tensile, flexural, compressionimpactfalling ball test) 

  • Spun yarn/multifilament-tensile testing 

  • Fiber/filler characterisation (sieve analysisbulk densityfiber length distribution by FASEP) 

  • Soxhlet-Extraction 

  • Rheology (dynamic rheometer Anton Paar MCR 102; MFR – melt mass-flow rate) 

  • Chemistry lab, incl. fume cupboard 

  • Fire testing (single-flame source test, UL 94, building materials following DIN 4102-1) 

  • Dielectric analysis (curing analytics for thermosets) 

  • Tensiometer for contact angle and surface energy determination (Krüss K100) 

  • Ash content determination (rapid incinerator, muffle furnace) 

  • Quantitative determination of inorganic fillers and reinforcing materials, respectively, by incineration in muffle furnace 

  • Electro-acoustic spectrometer DT1200 foparticle size distribution analysis 

  • Artificial weathering (Xenon-weathering chambers) 

  • Climate cabinets 

  • High-voltage tester CEAST DIELECTRIC RIGIDITY 

  • Several different saws and a CNC milling machine for sample preparation