TRIBOLOGY AND CORROSION LAB
Padua
The laboratory integrates surface metrology, nano-mechanical characterization, advanced tribological platforms, and electrochemical analysis to directly correlate materials processing with functional performance.
Surface topography and wear are quantified using high-resolution profilometry. Near-surface mechanical properties are measured by instrumented nanoindentation, enabling hardness and elastic modulus evaluation at the nanoscale. Friction and wear tests are performed on complementary tribometers, enabling controlled contact configurations across multiple length scales under ambient or temperature-controlled conditions up to 500 °C. The platforms also support tribocorrosion testing through coupling with electrochemical control. Film/substrate adhesion is evaluated by scratch testing, including high-temperature protocols. Coating thickness is rapidly assessed by ball-cratering.
Corrosion studies are conducted using a potentiostat/galvanostat equipped with EIS capability, supporting both standardized and custom electrochemical procedures.
This integrated approach enables a comprehensive understanding of friction, wear, adhesion, mechanical response, corrosion, and coupled degradation mechanisms in engineered surfaces and coatings.
Bruker Dektak XT
Stylus Profilometer
Contact stylus profilometry for step height, roughness, and 2D/3D topography mapping; vertical resolution down to ≈0.1 nm with up to 1 mm vertical range and 50–55 mm scan length.
Stylus force tunable from ≈0.03–15 mgf, enabling measurements on soft or hard surfaces with minimal damage risk.
CETR UMT‑2
Universal Micro Tribometer
Modular tribology platform for friction, wear, tribocorrosion, and scratch/adhesion testing, configurable for reciprocating (ASTM G133: pin‑/ball‑on‑flat), rotary (ASTM G99: pin‑/ball‑on‑disc), tribocorrosion (ASTM G119), and scratch per UNI EN 1071‑3.
Our configuration:
rotary up to 1000 rpm
linear reciprocating up to 10 mms⁻¹
temperature control to 150 °C
load cells 5 mN–200 N
Integrated sensing: electrolytic cell with potentiometric system, acoustic emission probe, electrical contact resistance, current/potential/temperature sensors, and multichannel data acquisition.
Anton Paar Calotest
Coating Thickness
Rapid thickness determination for single‑ and multi‑layer coatings over ~0.1–50 µm using the spherical abrasion (ball‑crater) method.
AMETEK | Princeton Applied Research VersaSTAT 3A
Potentiostat/Galvanostat (with EIS)
Single‑channel potentiostat/galvanostat controlled via VersaStudio; equipped with internal FRA/EIS option covering ~10 µHz–1 MHz, suitable for corrosion, coatings, and general electrochemistry (floating operation available on 3A models).
Micromaterials Nanotest Platform Three
Nanoindenter
A load–depth sensing nanoindentation system is employed to quantify the near-surface mechanical properties of bulk materials, surface treatments, and thin films. Data are analysed according to the Oliver–Pharr method, providing instrumented hardness and elastic modulus values at penetration depths up to 2 µm or under applied loads up to 500 mN.
Rtec MFT‑5000
Universal Tribometer
Modular platform to quantify friction, wear, adhesion, and surface mechanics with quick‑swap motion modules and closed‑loop force control for reproducible workflows. The system supports linear reciprocating and fretting, scratch/adhesion, and tribocorrosion with electrochemical cells. Standard contact geometries (ball/pin‑on‑flat) are available for coatings and bulk materials, an tests can be performed with dry or liquid media and temperature control, delivering realistic, application‑oriented surface characterization on a single, versatile rig.
Our configuration:
Environments: high‑temperature chamber up to 500 °
- Load cell: 0.1–200 N operating range.
- Sliding speed range from 0.001 to 50 mm/s
- Pure tribological test modes:
- friction and wear tests in linear reciprocating motion mode,
- fretting up to 80 Hz,
- scratch/adhesion testing
- microindentation
- Electrochemical: tribocorrosion cell for coupled mechanical–electrochemical testing under controlled media.
The platform supports research and characterization in tribology, surface engineering, and functional materials across multiple length scales. It is suitable for bulk materials, surface treatments, and thin‑film coatings under controlled mechanical and environmental conditions. Key application areas include:
- advanced coatings for mechanical components,
- biomedical and food‑contact materials,
- corrosion‑/wear‑resistant surfaces,
- materials for energy, aerospace, and transportation.
The system runs multiple ASTM/DIN/ISO methods on a single rig, handling standard and custom protocols on coupons or real components.
Access:
The station is hosted at ICMATE Padova and is available to external users also through the ISIS@MACH Italy network (https://isismachitalia.eu/instruments-cat/mft-5000-multi-function-tribometer/), which federates national instrumentation with expert support.
Contact Us
A small focus on Tribology and Corrosion
Tribocorrosion of high entropy alloys (HEA) in seawater.
Profiles of wear tracks produced in lubricating condition on a) uncoated Al substrate and b) Mo-N coating.
Scratch tracks images in correspondence to failure a) as deposited AlO coating; b) post CorAL test AlO coating; c) as deposited Ti-Al-N coating; d) post CorAL test Ti-Al-N coating.