Materials Development

PEM offers a comprehensive suite of materials testing and characterisation services that support industry across engineering, manufacturing, medtech, and advanced materials development. Our capabilities enable companies to assess material performance, validate new formulations, and troubleshoot product or process challenges using mechanical, thermal, chemical and microstructural analysis

Materials Development

PEM research centre staff are researching novel materials with industrial applications ranging from battery materials to antibacterial coatings for mobile phones, wastewater treatment and use in surgical operating theatres

Materials Testing at PEM Technology Gateway

Coating & Surface Material Testing

PEM supports the development and assessment of advanced coatings, including thermal, antimicrobial, and photocatalytic systems, by evaluating their durability, structural integrity and functional performance. Testing includes:

Thermal Insulating Coatings

Mechanical testing (tensile, compression, flexure, adhesion)
Hardness testing (micro & macro)
Surface and microstructural analysis using optical microscopy and SEM/EDS
Chemical characterisation using FT‑IR
Thermal behaviour using DSC

Antimicrobial & Photocatalytic Coatings

PEM evaluates photocatalytic TiO₂‑based coatings using:

SEM + EDS for morphology and chemical composition
Optical microscopy for surface features
Hardness testing for durability
Mechanical adhesion testing using universal test systems

Materials for Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)

PEM supports companies working to improve the treatment of pharmaceutical effluents through materials designed for photocatalysis and photo‑Fenton reactions.

These materials can be characterised using:

FT‑IR spectroscopy for chemical bonding and surface functional groups
Thermal analysis (DSC) to determine stability under reaction conditions
SEM/EDS to analyse catalyst surface composition and degradation
Rheology for testing slurry‑based or fluid catalytic systems

Our testing capabilities help industry partners optimise AOP materials for efficiency, durability and regulatory compliance in wastewater treatment

Advanced Additive Manufacturing Material Testing

PEM develops and tests advanced materials for metal and polymer additive manufacturing, focusing on mechanical performance, printability and material integrity.

Using polymer and metal AM platforms (Meltio M450, Element HT, BambuLab), materials are evaluated using:

Tensile, compression, flexure and shear testing (up to 600kN)
Bi-axial axial/torsional testing for complex loading scenarios
Micro‑hardness & macro‑hardness testing
Thermal analysis (DSC) to assess crystallisation and melt behaviour
Rheometry for polymer melt/flow characterisation
Microscopy (optical & SEM) to assess porosity, layer adhesion and microstructure

These capabilities allow PEM to support industry with material qualification, failure analysis, and performance benchmarking for additive manufacturing applications.

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The PEM Technology Gateway is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the
ERDF Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-2027