Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

The requested universal mechanical tester system is the latest model and one of the worlds highest performance systems designed for characterizing the tribological properties (e.g., adhesion, friction, lubrication and wear) at various interfaces of a broad range of materials (e.g., polymers, biopolymers, proteins, colloidal suspensions, metals, ceramics, biomedical implants), engineering and biological systems (e.g., oil sands engineering, mineral processing) in complex fluids. The proposed universal mechanical tester device provides macro-, micro- and nano-scale mechanical tests from nano-newton to kilo-newton under a variety of simulated environmental conditions in real-world applications, and it has been the most versatile and the most widely used mechanical and tribological test system available in the fields. The proposed device offers higher speeds, more torque, and better force measurements than any other tribometers on the market, with improved efficiency and ease-of-use. These tribological tests are critical for a wide range of applications of the materials or surfaces, in materials engineering, chemical engineering, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, mineral engineering, and environmental engineering. The instrument requested will be used by graduate/undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers, coupled with our existing facilities such as atomic force microscope, surface forces apparatus, attenuated total internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential analyzer, rheometer, and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) to conduct pioneering research to resolve a wide range of long-unresolved problems in several fields. These include colloidal and interfacial properties and interaction mechanisms, and tribocorrosion phenomena of various materials, interfaces and in many engineering and biological systems. The instrument will greatly foster and enhance the discovery, innovation and training capability of the researchers at the University of Alberta. The success of the projects outlined in this proposal will have a significant socio-economic impact on Canadian materials, chemical, bioengineering, petroleum and mining industry, and place us among the world's best facilities in interfacial science and engineering.