User Facilities
Wadley group owns several user facilities that are available for students, researchers from other UVA units, research partners, and/or industry partners at an hourly rate.
The expansive facilities include:
Directed Vapor Deposition (DVD)
The experimental physical vapor facilities utilized by the Wadley group consist of three patented processes: Directed Vapor Deposition (DVD), Biased Target Ion Beam Deposition, and Coaxial Plasma Deposition.
Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS)
The thermal spray facility is home to two separate deposition systems: a Thermion Twin Wire Arc Spray (TWAS) system and a Praxair Air Plasma Spray (APS) system. These two systems permit deposition of coatings with thicknesses in the range of 30 micrometers to many millimeters in dimension at temperatures ranging from ambient to 1200°C.
Simulated Engine Materials Testing Facility (LSL)
This is the nation’s only laboratory-scale testing facility that controllably simulates the mechanical loads, the spatial/temporal temperature gradients, and the chemical environment present in gas turbine engines. This facility enables investigation of the mechanisms by which materials in engines are degraded by environmental attack from water vapor and...
Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS)
The UVA SPS system used to explore the synthesis of high-performance ceramics, advanced composite materials and functionally graded materials (FGMs) for use in the aerospace, defense, power generation, automotive, and other applications. GT Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) system (SPS 25-10), can provide a maximum 25 tons force on the tooling dies, with the...
High-Temperature Graphite Furnace
Laboratory High-Temperature Graphite (Model LHTG 200-300 Carbolite Gero) furnace with both vacuum and inert atmosphere operating conditions. A maximum temperature of 3000°C can be achieved in argon and a maximum temperature of 2200°C can be used in a vacuum.