Microstructural characterization

The group displays well-known expertise in the microstructural characterization by X-ray powder diffraction (DRX) and neutron diffraction techniques. Both techniques allow the determination of the crystallographic structures and/or the crystallographic defects present in the material. Rietveld analysis is usually employed as a fitting procedure in the analysis of the diffraction patterns.
 

Thermal characterization

The analysis of thermal stability and phase transitions in materials represents an important topic both from the basic characterization and technological applications. The group has basic equipment (Differential Scanning Calorimetry  (DSC) and electric resistivity) to perform this analysis in a different type of materials, such as amorphous and crystalline metallic systems.
 

Magnetic characterization

The group has wide experience in the magnetic characterization both by ac induction techniques and SQUID magnetometry. The available facilities enable the determination of basic magnetic parameters (magnetic susceptibility, hysteresis loops, coercive field, remanence and saturation magnetization) of a wide range of materials. Particularly, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and the harmonic contribution through the ac magnetization process in magnetic nanoparticles are current research topics of great interest in the biomedical field.
 

Sensor design and characterization

The design of novel sensors based on magnetic technology for different technology sectors (vibration sensors, non-contact position detecting devices, strain sensors) represents one of the active research lines of the group. Additionally, energy harvesters with applications in the automotive and industrial sectors has been developed and characterized.
 

As can be seen, the applicability of the proposed services is not limited to the physics environment, being easily applicable to other technological sectors namely, chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical, agronomics, materials science…