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 Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute
A National laboratory under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR,INDIA)
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Analytical Facility
Under this Division, there are three major Sections: Analytical Chemistry, Electron Microscopy and X-ray Characterization The areas of activity of each of these Sections are given below.


Analytical Chemistry Section
Areas of Activity
To render testing facility for chemical characterization of glass, ceramic and allied materials, metals, water samples etc. to different glass, ceramic and other industries, universities, research organizations etc.
Sectional Facilities
Specific activities
  • Various types of routine analytical testing carried out in this Section are based on national and international standards.
  • This Section is also actively engaged in developing simple and rapid methods for the determination of major, minor and trace elements present in glass, ceramics and other materials using sophisticated instruments like Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP AES), Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) etc.
  • The chemical testing carried out in this Section was accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratory (NABL).
  • The laboratory has conducted proficiency testing programme which is related to interlaboratory comparison for testing and calibration laboratories.
  • Presently the laboratory is engaged in the determination of minor/traces of arsenic in water and environmental samples.
  • Training programme on chemical analysis of glass, ceramic and other materials are arranged time to time and training on both classical and instrumental analytical techniques are imparted.
  • In addition to chemical analysis, the laboratory intends to prepare Standard Reference Materials related to glass, ceramics raw materials and products.
Scientists
Electron Microscopy
Areas of Activity
To extend SEM, FESEM and TEM facility to all researchers of CGCRI for microstructural and nanostructural characterization of various nanostructured materials including ceramics, glass and composite materials. The facilities are also extended to external users from industries, universities, other research organizations.
Sectional Facilities
Specific activities
  • Characterization of surface microstructure and nanostructure of various ceramics and glass using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Field Emission SEM, both fitted with EDX spectrometer.
  • High-resolution imaging and microstructural characterization of nanostructured materials including local composition analysis down to a few nanometers size using analytical Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) fitted with EDX spectrometer and nanoprobe electron beam.
  • Thin film surface morphology study by Atomic Force Microscope.
Area of Research
Development (processing and characterization) of ferroelectric/piezoelectric and Transition-metal-oxide based thin film sensors by RF Magnetron Sputtering technique under a CSIR Network project.
Scientists
X-ray Characterization
Sectional Facilities
Areas of Activity
  • Quantitative phase analysis for crystalline / amorphous compound. The principal X-Ray diffraction data analysis program is X,Pert High score plus and the reference database is ICDD PDF4+ .
  • Microstructural features that include lattice parameters, lattice type, atom substitution, crystallite sizes /strain, crystallinity, structure determination and refinement from extracted intensity / step intensity data( modified Rietveld method ).
  • X,Pert Pro MPD system is equipped with Antor Per temperature controlled humidity system. Different atmospheres can be accommodated for experiment at varying temperature (R.T to H.T) . The following applications are considered (a) kinetics of growing oxides scales (b) nonisothermal kinetics of high temperature oxidation (c) low to high temperature phase transition.
  • The flexibility of X,Pert Pro MPD extends its use to a wide variety of thin film analysis using GIXRD optic for phase characterisation. Determination of layer thickness, roughness and density (reflectivity) using reflectivity software is also being attempted.
  • X,Pert Pro MPD system is equipped with SAXS, suspended nanoparticles can best be characterized by determining average particle size, distribution and specific surface area in 1-300 nm range.
  • Qualititative elemental analysis/ semiquantitative elemental analysis by X-Ray Fluroscence (AXIOS- Panalytical) using Super Q software is a new activity.
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