Surface Analytics

• Microscopy: For documenting surfaces and measuring areas.
• Topography & Roughness: Contactless 3D measurement to determine shapes and roughness values.
• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM): Increased resolution to examine fractured surfaces or fine structures on surfaces.

Special application:

• Crack inspection: Dye penetration for visualisation of cracks or overlaps.

• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS): Chemical analysis of the top 10 nm. Particularly suitable for inorganic materials and determination of oxidation states.
• SEM with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX): Chemical analysis of small areas such as particles with an information depth of approx. 1 µm.
• Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR): Organic analysis of layers or particles on the surface.

Not a chemical analysis, but very sensitive in terms of chemical composition:

• Contact angle: to measure surface energy and to assess whether a surface is hydrophilic or hydrophobic.

• Technical cleanliness: see particles
• Chemical: in-situ: see XPS (above)
• Chemical: extraction: see biocompatibility
• Biological: see biocompatibility