AMI houses instrumentation for characterizing materials, separations, x-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis.

AMI can, more-or-less, be broken down into three categories: chemical analysis, thermal analysis, and non-destructive analysis.

Chemical Analysis

The majority of our chemical analysis techniques focus around elemental analysis, or determining the composition of a material. This can be used to determine an unknown substance or to characterize the elements found inside a known material, like rubber. In addition to standard elemental analysis instrumentation like spectroscopy, we also have several chromatography instruments. Simply, chromatography can be used to separate a mixture into its component parts. For more information on our instrumentation, please see our instrumentation page.

Thermal Analysis

We have provide access to advanced scientific instrumentation for measuring the thermal properties of materials. Thermal properties include characteristics such as thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, specific heat, and transition temperatures of materials. This knowledge can be helpful in materials selection and optimization.

Non-destructive Analysis

Our non-destructive testing features X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques and the Large Chamber Scanning Electron Microscope (LC-SEM). XRD is a versatile analytical technique used to analyze physical properties such as phase composition, crystal structure and orientation of powder, solid, and liquid samples. The LC-SEM is a technique for analyzing the surface of a sample. It can create high resolution images and identify the chemical composition of a material. The LC-SEM is unique at WKU in that we are the only university in North America with this equipment. For normal chamber SEM work, the sample must typically be on the order of centimeters. With the large chamber, we are able to analyze parts up to 1.5 meters and 600 lbs!

Through our variety of techniques, we are able to serve numerous fields, including pharmaceutical (product synthesis), petrochemical (oil and its derivatives), chemistry (polymers and other products), environmental (soil, sediment, water, coal, leaves, etc.), and the food industry (Calorie analysis). Please view our instrumentation, methodologies, and price list pages for more information, but see below for general services.

 

Here are a few examples of work that has been completed at AMI:

• Determining the identity of unknown metals
• Determining the identity of contamination
• Fluoride testing of urine
• Calorie content of food
• Identifying the minerals within rocks
• Examining the differences between automotive lubricant and food-grade lubricant
• Analysis of mercury content in bat fur

We are located on the Innovation Campus at:
2413 Nashville Rd
Bowling Green, KY 42101

There are many entrances to the Innovation Campus, so to get to AMI, you should use the entrance that is directly behind Chipotle. There is a large awning that says "Center for Research and Development," to the left is Holley, and to the right is the USDA research group. If you go in these doors, AMI is the second door on the left. Ring the doorbell and someone will be right there!

We are open Monday - Friday from 8am to 4:30pm.

We will be closed anytime WKU is closed (i.e. fall break, spring break, etc.)

Please utilize our Contact Us page if you'd like to drop a message!