Chemical, Materials & Physical Analysis
High quality chemical, materials and physical analysis can generate the insight you need to solve a myriad of industrial issues. Materials, chemical and physical structure investigations, carried out in one UKAS-accredited laboratory, give you a true picture of how a product functions or a process operates – easy to understand information that helps you solve quality issues or reduce costs. LPD Lab Services is an independent analytical laboratory based in Blackburn, East Lancashire, with a diverse range of analytical techniques that can be applied to a wide range of solid, liquid and gas samples for customers across the UK.
Chemical Analysis Services for Raw Materials, Products and Processes
Our chemical analysis services establish the composition of raw materials, products and process streams, from routine quality control through to forensic chemistry, deformulation and product analysis. The chemical analysis techniques available in our Blackburn laboratory include AAS, XRF, FTIR, FTIR Microscopy, HPLC, GC, GC-MS, IC, UV/Vis Spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), NMR, wet chemical techniques, Karl Fischer, DSC, TGA, Gas Analysis GC-TCD-FID and extractables and leachables.
Materials Analysis and Surface Analysis Techniques
Materials analysis techniques include SEM / EDX, surface analysis, XPS, SIMS, AES, Pyrolysis GC-MS, FTIR and FTIR Microscopy. Used together, they identify the composition, contamination and microstructure of materials at the surface and in bulk, supporting failure investigation, quality control and reverse engineering work for manufacturers and engineers across the UK.
Physical, Structural and Microstructural Analysis
Physical Analysis can be carried out by combinations of optical microscopy, SEM / EDX, cross-sectional analysis, Mechanical testing and hardness tests, together with microhardness, flow or rheology characteristics and contact angle measurements. These techniques examine the physical structure and properties of your products and components, giving the evidence you need to understand how they perform – and, where something has gone wrong, why it failed.
How Chemical, Materials and Physical Analysis Work Together
A combination of chemical and materials analysis plus physical structure investigations provides a true picture of how a product functions or a process operates. The laboratory's experienced staff pull all of this information together – composition, surface condition, structure and physical properties – to provide advice in a down-to-earth language the customer understands, with practical recommendations you can act on to improve quality, optimise processes and reduce cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chemical, Materials and Physical Analysis
What is the difference between chemical, materials and physical analysis?
Chemical analysis identifies what a sample is made of and the concentration of its elements and compounds. Materials analysis examines the composition, surface and microstructure of materials using techniques such as SEM/EDX, XPS, SIMS and AES. Physical analysis measures how a material behaves – its mechanical properties, hardness, flow or rheology characteristics and surface behaviour. Used together, the three disciplines give a complete picture of a product or process.
What samples can your laboratory analyse?
We analyse a wide range of solid, liquid and gas samples, from raw materials and individual components to assembled products and process streams. Our team will advise on the sample form and the most suitable combination of analytical techniques for your specific question, whatever the industry.
What does UKAS accreditation mean for our analysis results?
UKAS accreditation confirms that a laboratory meets international standards for technical competence and produces reliable, traceable results. LPD Lab Services is a UKAS-accredited laboratory, so analysis results issued for services within our UKAS scope of accreditation from our Blackburn, East Lancashire laboratory are internationally recognised.
Which combination of analysis techniques will solve my problem?
Most problems are best solved by combining techniques – for example SEM/EDX to examine the structure, FTIR to identify a contaminant, and chemical analysis to quantify it. Our experienced staff will recommend the right route, interpret the data and explain the findings in plain language, giving you the answers you need to solve quality issues or reduce costs.
Request a Quote for Chemical, Materials and Physical Analysis
If you are unsure which analysis service fits your problem, please contact LPD Lab Services today – we can advise on the right combination of chemical, materials and physical analysis techniques for your samples. LPD Lab Services is an independent, UKAS-accredited analytical laboratory in Blackburn, East Lancashire, providing chemical, materials and physical analysis services to customers across the UK.