Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWSIn our „Biological and Macromolecular Materials“ business unit, we provide scientific and technical advice on issues in the fields of medicine, care, and the environment. Our major expertise is on materials research for dental and personal care products, the development and characterization of biomaterials for medical devices and the biofunctionalization of surfaces. To characterize and assess materials and products and to support the develop of new materials, we have excellent equipment and a wide range of cutting-edge methods at our disposal.
Microscopy and photo-optical methods
- Light microscopy, dark field and DIC mode
- Fluorescence microscopy
- 2D/3D Laser scanning microscopy with optical profilometry
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high and low vacuum (ESEM) mode
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
- Combined SEM-FIB with cryo transfer chamber and in-situ cryo preparation equipment
- Acoustic microscopy (SAM, GHz-SAM)
- 2D and 3D X-ray CT
- White light interferometry (WLI)
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM)
Spectrometric/spectroscopic methods
- SEM + EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy)
- UV/VIS/NIR spectrometer and spectral ellipsometer
- Electroluminescence and photoluminescence spectroscopy
- FTIR spectroscopy and microscopy with ATR measuring cells
- Confocal Raman microscope and Raman spectrometer
- High resolution (tandem) mass spectrometry
- High resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS)
- Inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
- Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
- Nanodrop
- ELISA Reader
- Luminometer
Mechanical/thermomechanical methods
- Dynamic differential calorimetry (DSC) up to 1500 °C
- Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
- Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)
- Nanoindentation (temperature-dependent, material mapping, nano-DMA)
- Various tensile / pressure / bending / torsion / peel test setups
- Rotational rheometry
- Servo hydraulic, electrodynamic and electromechanical test machines with temperature control chambers
- Light-climatic and climatic test chambers
- Thermal shock chamber -80 to 220 °C
- Corrosion test benches for aqueous and gaseous media
- High-pressure capillary viscosimeter
- Modeling and simulation (FEM)
- Texture analyzer
- Toothbrushing wear tester
- Toothbrushing simulator
- Industrial robotic system
Manufacturing and surface modification technologies
- Plasma-CVD coating devices
- High-frequency magnetron coating devices
- Corona treatment devices for polymer films
- Plasma etching devices
- Wet chemical coating devices (spin coating, blade coating, dip coating)
- Electrospinning equipment from lab-scale to industrial pilot-scale
- 3D printing
- Bioprinting
- Lyophilization
Testing and preparation technologies
- Photometric aerosol permeability testing
- Microtomy
- Contact angle, wettability testing