Materials Analysis & Characterization Services

Innovatech Labs, a leading testing contract lab, offers a wide range of analytical techniques. Below is a list of the materials analysis and characterization services offered and a brief description of the technique and the data obtained by it.  If you would like to discuss your specific needs with one of our analysts, contact Innovatech Labs online or call us at 888-740-LABS (5227).

Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) - Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA, also known as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy or XPS) is a surface materials analysis and characterization technique used for obtaining chemical information about the surfaces of solid materials.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Testing - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is an analytical technique used to identify organic (and in some cases inorganic) materials based on their absorbance of infrared light.

Ion Chromatography (IC) Testing - Ion Chromatography (IC) is the separation and quantification of anions and cations using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) Analysis with Headspace Capability - In GC/MS, the various components of a sample are separated based on size and/or polarity.  The mass spec detector allows various components to be identified.

Liquid Particle Counting - In LPC, the particles in a solution are sorted by size range and counted.  Particles on a solid surface can be extracted with water, then analyzed by LPC.

Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) - SEM is a method for high resolution imaging of surfaces. EDS analysis will provide chemical information about these surfaces.

Light Microscopy & Imaging - Magnification of a sample image is obtained by light refraction through combinations of lenses, comprising objectives and eyepieces. These images can be recorded on traditional films or as digital files.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) - A thermal analysis procedure that measures the rate of heat flow. DSC charts the difference between the rate of the test sample and that of a known reference material. This difference is useful in determining variations in composition and in measuring the degree of crystallinity and oxidation.

Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) - A thermal materials analysis and characterization procedure that measures weight loss as a function of temperature in a controlled environment. The temperature points at which active components volatilize are plotted, creating a graph that quantifies the composition.

Melt Flow Rate - Measures the viscosity of a polymer through a defined orifice at a constant temperature. Differences in these rates are used to flag lot-to-lot variations and to detect degradation caused by processing.