Ensaios Analises Entypo d83d283 256

Materials characterization

Mechanic, metallographic and corrosion testing, chemical and structural characterisation of metallic and non-metallic materials and concrete diagnosis.

About this service:

ISQ has technical and laboratory capability, which makes it possible to characterize, select and evaluate the degradation of metallic, ceramic, polymeric and inorganic materials in the laboratory or on-site. 

Chemical composition

  • Bench-top optical emission spectrometry (OES)
  • Mobile optical emission spectrometry (Non-destructive test)
  • Infrared absorption (carbon and sulphur contents determination)
  • X-ray fluorescence (PMI) 
  • Structural characterization
  • X-ray diffraction (XRD)
  • Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
  • Surface analysis
  • Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES)
  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Mechanical tests  

Metallic materials
  • Uniaxial compression and tensile tests until 500kN
  • Charpy tests up to 300J, from -196 to +35ºC
  • Bend tests up to 200kN and 180ºC
  • Fatigue tests up to 500kN
  • Nick-break in welded joints up to 500kN
  • Fracture tests and Peel-test in welded joints up to 500kN
  • Vickers, Rockwell and Brinnel Hardness tests in parent material and welded joints
Polymeric materials
  • Uniaxial tensile test until 500kN
  • Bend test up to 200kN and 180ºC
  • Peel-test, T-peel, or compression tests on welded joints up 500kN
  • Shore A and D Hardness
  • Microscopic evaluation of the dispersion of carbon black and pigments in Polyolefin
Concrete (freshly mixed and hardened concrete)
  • Compression tests of cubes and cylindrical concrete test specimens
  • Bending test of concrete prisms
  • Concrete slump test (Abrams Cone)
  • Cores concrete extraction, cutting and grinding of the faces of compression
  • Mortar bending and compression test
  • Determination of modulus of elasticity
  • Diametrical compression test
  • Granulometric analysis
  • Experimental stress analysis

Determination of deformation (static or dynamic) at room temperature or high temperature, in materials or components.

Non-destructive technique which allows us to determine the service stress in-situ, i.e. during the normal operation of the equipment. The measurement of residual stresses can be performed through the methods of the hole-drilling, Barkhausen noise and x-ray diffraction. 

Corrosion resistance

Climatic tests
  • Salt spray tests (neutral, with acetic acid and with the addition of copper)
  • Moisture testing
  • Thermal shock tests: temperatures from -45 to 180ºC and humidity from 10 to 98% (between 10 and 95ºC)
  • Sulphur dioxide tests (Kesternich test)
  • Chemical and electrochemical tests
  • Pitting and crevice corrosion (ASTM G48)
  • Intergranular corrosion (ASTM A262, ASTM G28, ISO 3651-2, ISO 15329)
  • Detecting detrimental intermetallic phase in duplex stainless steels (ASTM A923)
Corrosion under different loading conditions, static or dynamic (SCC, corrosion fatigue)
  • DC and AC techniques for electrochemical characterization
  • Critical pitting temperature (CPT) and crevice (CCT)
Microbiological tests with impact on materials degradation
  • Determination of the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)
  • Determination of total aerobic bacteria
  • Determination of the presence of total anaerobic bacteria
  • Determination of the presence of Fe-oxidizing bacteria Identification of asbestos fibers in materials Identification and quantification of asbestos fibers through Polarized Light Microscopy, in friable and non-friable material.
  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of other types of non-asbestos fibers that may be present in these materials.

Microestrutural Metallographic tests (macro and micro)

  • Classification of imperfections in welded joints
  • Microstructural characterization of metallic and polymeric materials
  • Determination of average grain size and volume fraction in metallic materials
  • Determination of thickness of surface hardened layers in steel
  • Determination of coatings thickness (galvanized steels, paints, varnishes)
  • Graphite classification in cast irons
  • Determination of non-metallic inclusions in steels and cast irons
  • Microstructural characterization of welded joints
  • Metallographic replicas (non-destructive testing)

The wide technical capability of Materials Laboratory is not confined to performing tests, but develops R&D activities and offers the following services:

  • Materials characterization
  • Corrosion failure analyses
  • Microbiological corrosion
  • Corrosion monitoring
  • Cathodic protection
  • Materials selection
  • Research of degradation mechanisms by corrosion
  • Hydrogen embrittlement
  • Corrosion performance of welded joints  
  • Type of Service: Materials, Testing
  • Areas: Automotive, Energy & Power Generation, Oil & Gas, Process Industries
  • Business Unit: ISQ

How we can help


We act comprehensively throughout the value chain, providing you with access to over 250 specialized services, hundreds of technical specialists and the know-how of 50 years plus operating in these areas worldwide, leading significant national and international projects.

What sets us apart


  • The diversity of our services, addressing entire value chains
  • Comprehensive laboratorial capacity, both on site an in premises, with accredited laboratories equipped with the latest technology
  • The awarded and recognized quality and safety in our services
  • Relevant international partnerships with market leaders and entities such as the UN, ESA, CERN, ITER
  • The know-how of our team of PhDs, scientists, researchers, engineers and specialized technicians with relevant and solid experience
  • The close relationship with our customers, supported by a network of branches and subsidiaries around the world
  • The accreditations, certifications and notifications of most of the activities carried out
  • International activity in markets such as aerospace, nuclear fusion, physics and astrophysics, oil and gas, sustainability and circular economy
  • The ability to support you in Innovation activities

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