On June 11-12, 2009, Dr. Cliff Lissenden, professor in engineering science and mechanics, is hosting the spring 2009 Center of Excellence in Structural Health Monitoring meeting. The meeting will bring designers and owners of platforms that benefit from SHM technology together with researchers and developers of SHM systems and grow the Center by building relationships that lead to fruitful multidisciplinary collaborations between industry, academia, and government. For additional information about the meeting, please visit their web site.

The Center for Innovative Sintered Products is proud to announce the arrival of new scientific equipment for particle sizing. In a collaboration between CISP’s director Dr. Donald Heaney and Keith Swain of Horiba Instruments, Inc., CISP now has the newest Horiba LA-950 installed and operating in 136 Research West.

The Horiba LA-950 extends CISP's testing capabilities down to fine particles in the 10 nanometer (0.01 micrometer) range all the way up to 3.0 mm (3000 micrometers). Particles are initially dispersed in an aqueous or organic fluid, then introduced into the circulation system. The proper refractive index is selected and the dispersion streamed between two light sources and ring, side, and rear-mounted detectors which collect scattering data. Mie theory analyzes and interprets the scattered light patterns, reporting information about the size and distribution.

CISP can test metals, ceramics, pharmaceuticals and other powders in a variety of fluids. Most recently CISP has successfully tested tungsten, aluminum, and silicon carbide powders. If you’d like your powders tested or have interest and questions please contact the CISP lab or Kristina Cowan-Giger directly at 814-865-1393, kcc126@psu.edu.