Thermal & Mechanical Analysis


The instrumentation within the Institute for Bioengineering Research is used for both research and teaching. The following instruments are included at the Institute for Bioengineering Research and are located in Learned Hall. To inquire about training and instrument use at the Institute for Bioengineering Research Laboratories, please complete the IBER Request Form. A completed IBER Request Form must be on file for anyone working in the laboratories. For more information contact: 

Qiang (Charles) Ye, Ph.D.

Director, Institute for Bioengineering Research Laboratories

Office: Learned Hall 5101E

Phone: 785-864-1746

E-mail: yeq@ku.edu

TA Instruments Q800 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA)

TA Instruments Q800 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA)The Q5000 SA is designed for manual or automated sorption analysis of materials under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity (RH). Its design integrates TA Instrument’s latest high sensitivity, temperature-controlled thermobalance with an innovative humidity generation system, multi-position autosampler, and powerful Advantage™ software with technique specific programs and Platinum™ features.

TA Instruments Q200 Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)

TA Instruments Q200 Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)TA Instruments Q200 Temperature-Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter accommodating a photocalorimeter accessory (PCA). MDSC is able to separate the “total” heat flow into two parts: the heat flow from the heat capacity (reversible) effect that usually comes from glass transition relaxation or crystal melting; and the heat flow from the non-heat capacity (non-reversible) effect that usually comes from enthalpic relaxation or cold crystallization. As a result one can get more information (especially from time-dependent thermal events) than by conventional DSC. In addition, the pseudo-isothermal MDSC capabilities using the photocalorimeter accessory on the TA Instruments equipment allows one to monitor the isothermal heat capacity before and after exposure to visible light.

TA Instruments Q5000 Sorption Analyzer (SA)

TA Instruments Q5000 Sorption Analyzer (SA)The Q5000 SA is designed for manual or automated sorption analysis of materials under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity (RH). Its design integrates TA Instrument’s latest high sensitivity, temperature-controlled thermobalance with an innovative humidity generation system, multi-position autosampler, and powerful Advantage™ software with technique specific programs and Platinum™ features.

Bose ElectroForce 3300 Mechanical Analyzer

Bose ElectroForce 3300 Mechanical AnalyzerBose® ElectroForce® 3200 Mechanical Test Instrument provides the capability of performing torsion testing, creep under dynamic loading and mechanical testing in saline bath.

TPekinElmer PYRIS 1 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA)

TPekinElmer PYRIS 1 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA)

The TGA can work on a large range of temperature: from sub ambient to 1000°C. This ensure the detection of phenomena even when occurring at room temperature. Scanning rates can be set from 0.1°C/min to 50°C/min, according to the needs of the experiment. The microbalance has a sensitivity of 0.1 µg and a precision of ±0.001%. Samples up to 1300 mg can be analyzed with the TGA and the 20 positions autosampler ensures a large capacity for the analyses. Moreover, the AccuPik accessory allows the delayed analysis of efflorescent solvates. There is a data transmission link to our FTIR Spectrum 400 infrared spectrophotometer to provide the TG-IR analysis simultaneously. TG/FTIR is capable of detailed FTIR analysis of evolved gases produced from the TGA.