
Rheometer: Discovery Hybrid 20 Rheometer – TA Instruments
For characterizing bulk viscoelastic properties, e.g. of hydrogels and tissues
Equipped with UV unit for photoswitching of samples
Interfacial Rheology: Double Wall Ring

Tensile test device: 2.5kN Zwicki – Zwick&Roell
Tensile testing of materials
Special setup for compression test
Equipped with 3 load cells for soft materials (5N, 100N, 500N)

Nanoindenter: Pavone – Optics11Life
Spatially and mechanically highly precise indentor system based on precalibrated cantilevers: cell stiffness, viscoelasticity, adhesion, contraction, mechanosensing in near-physiological conditions
Equipped with a fluorescence imaging module to improve usage of the system with biological systems
To come: environmental module

3D-Modelling: Inventor- Autodesk
Results: files (part, assembly or drawing) as ipt, step, iges, stl and pdf
Possibility to work on Solidworks
Further Instruments
Bareiss DigiTest II
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Hardness tester for soft tissue and polymers according to shore, IRHD and VLRH. Used for characterizing connective tissue, such as cartilage, soft, and synthetic materials. The setup includes a test stand, a receiving arm with the measuring device for forces up to 20 N, and the electronic measurement and recording unit. The samples are placed on a metal sample holder with a milled edge.
Home-built Indentation System
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Calibrated indentation system with a mm-sized indenter sphere, suitable for the mechanical characterization of bulk materials.
Specimen Preparation Equipment

Cryo-ball mill
The ball mill will be applied for preparation of soft, hard and cryogenic samples for chemical extraction, radical measurement or electron microscopy. The milling cups of metal, ceramic or agate can be used for instance for breaking down hard tissue or polymer samples, and further milling to powder in micrometer size.

Cryotome
For cutting specimens (0.5 μm-500 μm) (such as tissue, organoids or hydrogels) prior to histological and optical characterization.
Tissue Slicer
For cutting alive tissue and hydrogel samples (150 μm) prior to mechanical and optical characterization.