rendering

Center for Materials Research

What is the Center for Materials Research

The Center for Materials Research (CMR) provides unique opportunities for development, characterization and deployment of novel materials-centered technologies in the Inland Northwest region. Through collaborations with external academic and industry partners, the CMR aims to advance fundamental scientific knowledge, accelerate materials innovation and product development, and provide transformative opportunities for STEM workforce training.

Located in Gonzaga's Bollier Center, the CMR is home to state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation for mechanical and chemical characterization of surface and bulk material properties across length-scales. The CMR also hosts a cluster of interdisciplinary, affiliated faculty and staff at Gonzaga University with specific expertise on these tools, and wide-ranging expertise in engineering, chemistry & biochemistry, biology and environmental studies.

Working with the CMR

The CMR welcomes collaborations with all institutions – academic, governmental and industrial. If you are curious how the CMR instrumentation and faculty expertise can support your organization's work, contact Dean Jennifer Shepherd to discuss project feasibility and next steps.

Learn more about the faculty of these departments who are ready to use the Center for Materials Research.
CMR Faculty and Staff Researchers

Capabilities and Instrumentation

IR Microscope

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (µFTIR)

Spectral characterization of polymer composites to characterize phenomena such as interpolymer diffusion, composition and degradation, curing kinetics, structure-property determination, etc.

NanoITC

Isothermal Titration Calorimeter (Nano ITC)

Allows direct interrogation of thermodynamic parameters of molecular interactions.

nanoindenter

Bruker Hysitron TS77 Nanoindenter

Measurements of nano and microscale surface mechanical properties, including microhardness (e.g., characterize surface treatment). Includes modes for scratch testing (coating/bonding delamination and adhesion) and Continuous Stiffness Measurement (CSM), to perform nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis.

Tescan VEGA3 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

Fully PC-controlled SEM with tungsten heated filament (optionally with LaB6) that allows for imaging in both high and low vacuum mode. Equipped with an EDAX detector for elemental analysis.

DLS

Zetasizer Pro Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)

Determination of particle size distributions, for example, in preparation of polymer (particulate) nanocomposites, quantifying extent of agglomeration and subsequent impact on mechanical properties. (Future instrument)

DMA

TA Instruments Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer DMA850

Measurement of elastic and viscoelastic properties of polymers/polymer composites (e.g., elasticity, rigidity, storage/loss modulus, creep and relaxation, glass transition, etc.) measured across a range of temperatures and environmental conditions. (Future instrument)

DSC

Differential Scanning Calorimeter DSC250

Thermal characterization techniques (DSC, TGA) are used to quantitatively evaluate properties of materials (polymers, composites) including but not limited to composition, decomposition, and phase transitions. (Future instrument)

Nano IR

NanoIR3 Nanoscale IR Spectroscopy System

IR spectrometer which enables direct measurement of chemical structure with a <10nm lateral resolution - critical for characterizing the chemical structure of filler-matrix interface in polymer matrix composites, and how these are affected by variations in processing. (Future instrument)

Confocal Microscope

Horiba XploRA PLUS Raman Confocal Microscope

Spectral characterization of polymer composites to characterize phenomena such as interpolymer diffusion, composition and degradation, curing kinetics, structure-property determination, etc. (Future instrument)

TGA

TA Instruments Thermogravimetric Analyzer TGA550

Used to quantitatively evaluate properties of materials (polymers, composites) including but not limited to composition, decomposition, and phase transitions. (Future instrument)

Programs Represented

A student confers with a professor in a biology lab

Biology
woman applies medical device to another woman's arm

Biomedical Engineering
Lab Experiment

Chemistry & Biochemistry
geomatics

Civil Engineering
An aerial view of the Gonzaga University campus

Environmental Studies & Sciences
machining

Mechanical Engineering