technology report 04

Research & Development
SEM micrographs showing a platinum gauze before (on the left) and after
(on the right) use as a catalyst for the manufacture of nitric acid.
With a lateral resolution of just a few nanometers, SEM
makes it possible to view the topography and to identify
material differences at very high enlargements. EDX and
SAM allow both local and large-area chemical analysis,
and hence the identification and quantification of
elements, providing information from depths ranging from
a few atomic layers to several microns. This can be used,
for example, to characterize layer structures or determine
residues or contaminants in products.
products. In addition, there is also the subsequent testing
of products that the customer is already using. „Here, in
particular, we can support our customers with important
information regarding their manufacturing processes,
which they could otherwise only obtain via external
research institutes. The Technology Center thus offers
the opportunity to optimize processes and develop them
further,“ says Annette Lukas, finally emphasizing a further
important customer-oriented aspect of the Technology
Center.
Patrick Broscheit, Dr. Jörg Wetterau
Success factors:
Combining well and keeping close contact
“Often, a full picture is only obtained by the combination
of various analysis methods. The results of different
analyses enable the Heraeus developers to systematically
optimize products, but they can also give a feedback to
the customers about their production process,“ Pompe
states. The varied and interdisciplinary requirements
posed by the customers in terms of development,
manufacturing and quality assurance demand intensive
exchange on the tasks and results. „Close contact with
the client, also in the course of the investigations, is
often decisive in ensuring the analysis is performed
economically and effectively. This dialog ensures that the
critical data the customer needs are obtained with the
least necessary measurement work,“ says Oliver Pompe.
During the dialog, the task formulation is clarified, testing
methods are determined, results are interpreted together
and measures are deduced.
A further service is the supervision and testing of prototypes
and pilot runs, within the process of developing new
technology report Issue 4 | 2013
Do you have any further questions?
Annette Lukas
Technology Center
Heraeus Materials Technology GmbH & Co. KG
Heraeusstr. 12-14, 63450 Hanau
Phone: +49(0)6181.35-5748
Email: annette.lukas@heraeus.com
www.heraeus-materials-technology.com
New pilot plant
ensures flexibility
A new pilot plant makes the Technology Center
even more flexible. With modern induction
furnaces, it is now possible for high-melting
alloys to be melted at temperatures of over
2000°C under protective gas atmospheres and
for them to be prepared for subsequent testing
or development processes.
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