Material Testing & Chemical Analysis Services for Industry
The FILAB laboratory offers you a physico-chemical analysis and characterization service for all types of materials
Materials science makes it possible to optimize the performance and durability of materials by studying their structure and properties.
As a materials laboratory, FILAB provides its expertise and state-of-the-art analytical capabilities.Located on 5,200 m², our materials analysis laboratory relies on a comprehensive technical platform and a team of specialized engineers and PhDs.
Materials characterization at the FILAB laboratory makes it possible to assess their physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties.
Why carry out material characterization?
Each material has its own characteristics, and its properties will determine the performance of the final product. Indeed, the criteria for selecting a material may depend on its chemical nature, composition, form (particle size, crystallinity, morphology, etc.), surface condition, and more. From manufacturing to the use of the final product, it is essential to ensure the compliance of the materials used and to control the risks of failure (cracking, breakage, corrosion, etc.).
The support and expertise of a laboratory specialized in material characterization or materials analysis enables you to optimize your production processes with more suitable materials, and to accurately analyze the causes of and remedies for failures in your products and materials.
Materials characterization in the laboratory
Metal Alloys
Professionals across all industrial sectors, do you want to ensure the compliance of your metal alloys by studying their chemical composition?
The analysis of the composition of metal alloys is part of our materials characterization services. These analysis, and in particular reverse engineering, make it possible to identify the structure and concentration of the constituent elements of your alloys, thereby providing information on performance and potential applications.
Have the defects in metal alloys analyzed to understand their causes and consequences. We carry out in-depth studies of metallurgical failures for a better understanding of their nature and extent.
The surface of a material is where all interactions with its environment occur, which can affect material performance and protection.
Laboratory extreme surface analysis, as part of materials characterization, involves studying surface layers at the nanometric scale. This analysis reveals precise information about surface composition, structure, and interactions, in order to optimize performance in specific applications.
Impurity analysis in a metal alloy: how can it affect performance?
Impurity analysis on metallic materials helps ensure material compliance and prevent potential failures by identifying the contaminants present. These can indeed alter the physical, chemical, or mechanical properties of materials.
Quickly analyze contamination on your metal part thanks to our state-of-the-art analytical equipment.
Contamination analysis on metal parts in the context of materials characterization makes it possible to identify and quantify contaminants, thereby enabling corrective measures to ensure the integrity, performance, and longevity of components in their specific applications.
Polymers and Composites
Carry out nanoscale analysis to better understand the key factors behind material performance and protection.
Find out what is hidden in your products with polymer deformulation. This technique allows you to determine the nature and quantities of the materials present in a formulation within a material. Reveal the true chemical composition of a product with this in-depth analysis.
La caractérisation polymère en laboratoire regroupe l’ensemble des méthodes destinées à évaluer la structure moléculaire, la composition et les principales propriétés physiques, chimiques et mécaniques, afin de mieux comprendre le comportement et les performances des matériaux polymériques.
Surface Analysis
The surface of a material is crucial to its interactions with the environment and
influences its performance and protection. Surface analysis at the
nanoscale makes it possible to understand the challenges your material must face.
Explore the structure and layers of your samples through our analysis services, using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Discover hidden details and measure the thickness of the different layers.
Whether caused by an internal manufacturing issue or a customer return, product failure can affect its reliability, strength, and
performance. Discover the reasons behind these failures and the consequences they bring.
FILAB offers technical and human solutions to industrial companies to detect and understand defects in organic or metallic treatments. Don't let failure issues slow you down. Trust our expertise.
Organic or metallic treatments can lead to failure issues over time or because of poor compatibility with the product's environment. To identify and understand these defects, FILAB offers industrial companies its technical and human resources.
Ceramics and Glass
At FILAB, our state-of-the-art analytical equipment is capable of carrying out characterization on ceramics and glass.
Visual analysis of a sample using high-performance imaging techniques, such as optical microscopy or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thanks to these methods, you will be able to better measure the thickness of the different layers
present.
Optimize the performance of your materials by studying their atomic composition using XRD.
Laboratorycrystallographic characterization provides atomic information, particularly on the arrangement of the crystals in the material, in order to better understand the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of ceramics and glass.
L'étude de défaillance sur les verres et sur céramique permet d’identifier les causes sous-jacentes de ruptures ou de dégradations, permettant ainsi de d'améliorer et renforcer la résilience et la durabilité de ces matériaux dans leurs applications spécifiques.
Powders
Characterization of metal powders according to the Ma-0015 standard for additive manufacturing.
Analysis and characterization of your hydroxyapatite powders (HAP) carried out according to the ISO 13779-3 and ISO 13779-6 standards by the FILAB laboratory.
The morphological study of powders, as part of material characterization, makes it possible to analyze particle shape, size and distribution.
Discover the hidden secrets of a sample thanks to our
advanced imaging techniques such as optical microscopy or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition to revealing relevant details, these methods also provide information on the thickness of the different layers present.
The quality of a powder plays a decisive role in improving its final results. As a result, the FILAB laboratory carries out powder control analysis to support you in your manufacturing processes.
Laboratory powder characterization is an analytical approach that makes it possible to assess particle size, particle size distribution, morphology and chemical composition, influencing the quality and performance of products in a wide range of industries, from pharmaceuticals to metallurgy.
What analysis techniques are used to characterize materials?
FILAB’s analytical platform covers 5,200 m² and offers a range of techniques to best meet your needs for physico-chemical materials characterization. In addition, the laboratory invests heavily every year in its analytical platform in order to continue providing high-performance technical capabilities.
Our techniques
Organic fraction analysis
IRTF, GC-MS, HPLC
Surface Analysis
MEB, EBSD, AFM, TOF-SIMS, XPS
Mineral fraction analysis
ICP, SEO, XRD, elemental analyzers
Thermal analysis
ATG, Py-GCMS, DSC
Other
BET, Optical Microscope, Helium Pycnometry, GPC, DMA/TMA, Goniometer, Laser Granulometry, IGA, RAMAN...
Our FAQ
Material characterization is a technique that has evolved over time. It became a formal scientific research field in the early 20th century with the development of microscopy.
It is an essential step in understanding their properties and performance. Many techniques are available to scientists and engineers to characterize a material, ranging from microscopy to spectroscopy.
Material characterization is a technique used to determine the chemical composition of a material, its crystal structure, microstructure, morphology, mechanical and thermal properties... The choice of technique depends on the type of material to be characterized, the required precision, and the information sought.
Characterizing a material in the laboratory is possible using different complementary approaches, such as:
- Molecular or elemental (chemical) analysis
- Diffraction for crystal structure
- Microscopy for morphology / microstructure
- Surface analysis (XPS, SEM, TOF-SIMS)
- Thermal testing (DSC, TGA)
- Mechanical / electrical / magnetic properties depending on use
Materials science studies the structure, properties, and performance of materials. It makes it possible to understand the relationship between chemical composition, internal structure, physical properties, performance, and applications of a material.
Materials science encompasses fields such as physics, chemistry, materials engineering, and other related sciences. Materials science researchers study a wide variety of materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and semiconductors. The goal is to develop new materials with improved properties or to enhance existing materials.
Materials chemistry is a discipline that studies materials from a chemical perspective: structure, composition, reactions. It plays an essential role in the discovery and development of new materials.
The analytical techniques used in materials chemistry include chemical synthesis and spectroscopy. They also include advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine material properties at the atomic scale.
Using a materials laboratory can be useful in a wide range of industries and application areas:
Materials analysis and characterization:
To understand the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of materials, such as strength, ductility, conductivity, and chemical reactivity.
Quality control:
To ensure that the materials used in a specific industry meet the required quality and performance standards, with durability and corrosion resistance testing.
Development of new materials:
For innovation and the development of new materials that offer better performance, greater durability, or lower cost. This may include research into composites, polymers, nanomaterials, ceramics, and metals.
Materials failure analysis:
To analyze material failures in existing structures or defective products, understanding the cause of failure can help prevent problems and improve product design.
Regulatory and environmental compliance:
To ensure that the materials used comply with current regulations, particularly regarding their environmental impact, recyclability, and toxicity.
Manufacturing process optimization:
To improve manufacturing processes, reduce costs, and increase production efficiency by gaining a better understanding of material behavior during different processes.
Using a materials laboratory provides access to specialized expertise and advanced equipment to carry out these analyses and tests, which may not be available in-house for many organizations. This helps ensure the performance, safety, and durability of products and projects, while also fostering innovation and competitiveness.
Material characterization brings together a set of techniques that make it possible toidentify the composition, structure, microstructure, and physicochemical properties of a material. Relying on a competent laboratory such as FILAB laboratory makes it possible to obtain reliable, tailored analysis.
Depending on the nature of the material and the objective, several analytical techniques can be used: X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystal structure, electron microscopy (SEM or FIB-SEM) for morphology and topography, infrared (FTIR) or Raman spectroscopy for chemical groups, or calorimetry (DSC) for thermal transitions.
La caractérisation matériau s’applique à de nombreux types de matériaux : polymères, métaux et alliages, composites, céramiques, verres, poudres ou matériaux organiques.
Les techniques disponibles au laboratoire FILAB permettent d’adapter les méthodes en fonction de la densité, de la conductivité, de la morphologie ou de la sensibilité thermique des échantillons.
Material characterization is recommended when developing a new product, changing suppliers, addressing a compliance issue, monitoring aging, or in the event of a failure.
This analytical service provides data to support root cause analysis, optimize a process, or validate a material’s performance in its final use.
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