Empa

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Empa
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing
and Research (Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs-
und Forschungsanstalt)

• Introduction, History and Organisation
• Research programs
• Nanotechnology at Empa
• Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics

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Chronology

• In 1880 the Institution for the Testing of
  Building Materials, the forerunner to Empa,
  begins its work. The Institution is located at
  the Polytechnic in Zurich.
• In 1891 Tetmajer is given the task of
  investigating the collapse of a railway bridge
  near Muenchenstein, built by the world-famous
  engineer Gustav Eiffel.
• In 1895 the name Federal Materials Testing
  Institute is first used, the German acronym for
  which is Empa.
• In1962 the Empa moves from Zurich to Dubendorf.
  The key areas are civil engineering, safety
  technology, surface technology, metallic
  materials, composites, non-destructive testing,
  chemical analysis, exhaust gas and atmospheric
  measurements, building technologies, building
  physics, acoustics and noise abatement.
• In1988 a significant change of course occurs,
  with increased emphasis placed on research. The
  Empa is renamed Swiss Federal Material Testing
  and Research Institute.

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Empa within the ETH Domain
Eawag
PSI
ETHZ
ETHL
WSL
Empa
WSL - Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow
and Landscape Research EAWAG - Swiss Federal
Institute Environmental Science and
Technology PSI - Paul Scherrer Institute
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Empa's Position in Switzerland
Empas role among the key players of
Switzerlands public education and RD
organizations
Education
Basic Research
Applied Research
Development
Services

• ETHZ, EPFL Universities

• PSI

• Empa

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Empa today
830 scientific, technical and administrative
staff 270 peer-reviewed (SCI/E)
publications 760 conference contributions and
reports 130 PhD students (e.g. PhD school with
Poland) 90 undergraduate students doing final
year projects 80 student trainees and
apprentices 110 seminars, lectures and
conferences held at the Empa Academy
84 million CHF in federal funding 38 million
CHF in third-party funding 5 departments
with 34 laboratories 5 interdisciplinary
research programs 3 sites 1 Empa
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Empas 's Future
Activities
Financing
2/3 Budget 1/3 Third party funding Goal 100 by
customers 2/3 Budget 1/3 Customers
60 Research Development 30 Services 10
Teaching and Knowledge Transfer
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Research Programs

• Our research programs show us in our true colors.
  
• They define our areas of central research, and
  foster a spirit of interdisciplinary
  collaboration. We are currently intensively
  involved in five research programs

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Nanotechnology

• What are the questions we deal with in
  the area of Nanotechnology?
• What novel functional capabilities can be
  achieved using tailor-made nanostructured
  materials and surfaces?
• Where do the ultimate limits to the
  miniaturization of modern microelectronics using
  semiconductor manufacturing techniques lie?
• Do supramolecular structures based on examples
  found in nature show the way forward to new
  solutions to the medical and biological
  challenges of the 21st century?

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Adaptive Material Systems

• What are the questions we deal with in
  Adaptive Material Systems program?
• Can we adapt biological behavior patterns for use
  in innovative material systems?
• Which materials systems are suitable for being
  equipped with intelligent capabilities?
• Which adaptive materials can be exploited for
  medical purposes?

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Technosphere Atmosphere

• What are the questions we
  deal with in Technosphere Atmosphere program?
• What are the principle sources of atmospheric
  pollution?
• How can we reduce the amount of pollution in the
  atmosphere?
• How can we meet our need for mobility in a
  sustainable manner?
• What effects does the polluted atmosphere have on
  the materials we use?

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Materials for Health and Performance

• What are the questions we
  deal with on the subject of the healthy human?
• With what materials can we help contribute to
  keeping humans healthy or restoring them to good
  health?
• What sort of products must be made available so
  as to improve the quality of life and security of
  older persons?
• What combinations of materials will aid sporting
  performances to improve still further?

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Materials for Energy Technologies

• What are the questions we deal with in
  the Materials for Energy Technologies program?
• How can materials research contribute to the
  development of new energy technologies?
• What is the best way of creating efficient and
  reliable energy systems?
• What effects do new energy technologies have on
  the environment, society and the economy?

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Empa Research Programme onNanotechnology
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Mission Nanotechnology Program

• Create Knowledge in Nanoscience Nanotechnology
  
• competent research and development partner for
  industry -gt new products based on nanoscale
  materials or effects.
• strong emphasis on societal and environmental
  aspects of nanotechnology

• To perform these tasks Empa performs
• activities in various scientific disciplines
• program oriented basic research in selected
  areas with a strong focus on possible
  applications
• applied research and development projects in
  close cooperation with industrial partners.
• high-level analytical services (user labs)
• education training courses

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Nanotechnology Research Program

• 1. Basic Research on New Phenomena
• - Materials with new Electronic Properties,
  Nanomagnetism, Thin Molecular Films,
  Nanotribology,
• Synthesis Processing of Materials at the
  Nanometer Scale with one, two, or three
  dimensions
• - Atom by Atom Nanostructure Prototyping, Thin
  Film Deposition Techniques,Nanoparticle
  Synthesis, Organic and Biomimetic Materials
• Nanoscale Characterisation Tools
• - Scanning Probe Microscopy, Nanomechanical
  Testing Devices, Beam Related Analytical Tools
• Components Devices, Applications Services
• - SPM Instrumentation (development), Thin Film
  Technology, High Performance Ceramics,
  Nanoparticle Applications, Nanotechnology and
  Textiles, Nanotube Emitters
• 5. Opportunities and Risks for Health,
  Environment Society

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Nanoparticle Flame Synthesis SnO2/TiO2 -
Photocatalysis
Results 1. SnO2/TiO2 particles
Applications 1. fog proof and self cleaning
glass2. anti-bacterial, anti-viral,
fungicidal3. deodorizing, air purification4.
water treatment, water purification 5. UV
protecting clear coats 6. Photoelectrolysis of
water to produce hydrogen
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Nanoparticle Flame Synthesis SnO2/TiO2 -
Photocatalysis
Separation of Electron Holesenhances life-time
of excited state
Results 1. SnO2/TiO2 particles
Applications 1. fog proof and self cleaning
glass2. anti-bacterial, anti-viral,
fungicidal3. deodorizing, air purification4.
water treatment, water purification 5. UV
protecting clear coats 6. Photoelectrolysis of
water to produce hydrogen
42 wt SiO2 58 wt SnO2
87 wt SiO2 13 wt SnO2
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Nanoparticle Flame Synthesis SnO2/TiO2 -
Photocatalysis
Separation of Electron Holesenhances life-time
of excited state
Results 1. SnO2/TiO2 particles
Applied Research -gt Applications
Applications 1. fog proof and self cleaning
glass2. anti-bacterial, anti-viral,
fungicidal3. deodorizing, air purification4.
water treatment, water purification 5. UV
protecting clear coats 6. Photoelectrolysis of
water to produce hydrogen
42 wt SiO2 58 wt SnO2
87 wt SiO2 13 wt SnO2
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Nanoparticles Wet Chemical Synthesis Application
1. Stöber-Type Synthesis
500 nm
Applications 1. polymers with improved
mechanical properties2. hardness enhanced,
scratch resistant laquers
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Nanoparticles Wet Chemical Synthesis Application
1. Stöber-Type Synthesis
Basic Research, Applied Research -gt
Applications
500 nm
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Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics

• powder production / preparation
• flame spray synthesis
• nanomilling
• sieving
• spray drying
• slurry formulation
• plastification

• sintering
• dilatometry
• debinding/sintering technique
• vacuum sintering
• hot isostatic pressing
• hot pressing

customer applied research, development, pilot
production testing,

• characterization
• powder properties
• rheology of dispersions, pastes and
  feedstocks
• chemical composition
• microstructure
• density
• pore size distribution
• mechanical properties

• forming
• uniaxial/ isostatic pressing
• slip casting
• extrusion technology
• low pressure injection molding
• tape casting
• screen printing

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Example Extrusion Technology at Lab HPC
e.g. Perovskite tubes for oxygen separation ZrO2
tubes for SOFC application
e.g. Silica quartz fibers by extrusion of
thermoplast based feedstocks with extremely high
amount of nanosilica OX 50 (up to 58 vol. in
PE-wax-mixture)
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Example Flame Synthesis of Nanoparticles
aerosol flame reactor
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Thank you for your attention