Research and Facilities Capabilities

Our core research competencies include process monitoring and control for wood products, high throughput analytical methods for lignocellulosics, hardwood lumber drying techniques, fundamental insight into adhesion mechanisms & interfacial properties, and composite formation and material structure.

Our main laboratory equipment for advanced material researches includes:

·                  HAAKE Minilab

·                  Hysitron Triboindenter

·                  Steam injection press with Pressman control system and dielectric sensors

·                  500 bd. ft. steam-heated lumber dry kiln with conventional control

·                  750 bd. ft. steam-heated lumber dry kiln with weight-based control system, DC drive reversing fan control, WonderWare© software control system

§                  60,000 lb. 4-screw, universal test machine with digital load/deflection acquisition software and test jigs/fixtures for all standard ASTM wood tests

§                  Instron 30kN Universal testing machine.

§                 2' x 2' hydraulic hot-press with single up-acting electric heated platens, computer controlled position software, and vent hood. Press has custom in-situ radiation measuring system for mat density determination during pressing.

§                  Full woodworking shop (table saw, planers, jointer, drill press, bandsaws, arc-TIG welding equipment, all hand tools)

§                 100 cu. ft. conditioning chamber with temperature/relative humidity control

§                  Drying ovens (convection, muffle, vacuum)

§                  Two NIR spectrometers

§                  X-ray density profile machine

§                  Thermo gravimetric analyzer

§                  Dynamic mechanical analyzer

§                  Perkin Elmer Diamond differential scanning calorimeter

§                  Fourier transform infrared spectrometer with Diamond ATR and Perkin Elmer Spotlight microscope

§                  Eumetrics System III dielectric spectrometer with programmable oven

§                  Zeiss universal microscope

§                  Olympus BX51 TRFM with heating/cooling stage

§                  Cahn dynamic contact angle analyzer

§                  PSIA XE 100 AFM/SThM

§                  Waters LC

§                  Other equipment includes pH meters, viscometer, balances, digital calipers, Olympus stereoscope, digital photography, Speed Mixer 150 FVZ,and assorted other laboratory supplies