A diverse range of chemical, biological, and physical interactions occur at the materials surface. Hence, it is of great importance to develop methodologies with which surface characteristics of materials and devices can be investigated and/or modified for specific applications.
One well-known example involves the development of hydrophobic, in other words, water repellent surfaces.
Development of the optimum hydrophobic surface on a specific material would require extensive research about the correct choice of the coating material, its adhesion and durability in adverse environmental conditions, as well as the fabrication procedure.
Characterization and modification of the surface further require a wide range of instruments which can probe the surface at different depth scales from a few atomic layers to microns.
Realizing this key role of surfaces in controlling the functionalities of materials and devices, Koç University Surface Science and Technology (KUYTAM) was established in 2010 as the first research center in Turkey focusing on surface sciences. KUYTAM received start-up funding from the State Planning Agency (DPT) and additional funding from Koç University.
Prof. Dr. İskender Yılgör served as the Principal Investigator of the project and the Founding Director of KUYTAM between 2010 and 2013.
The current administration of KUYTAM consists of a Center Director (Prof. Dr. Alphan Sennaroğlu), two Associate Directors (Associate Professors Alper Uzun and Uğur Ünal), and a Center Coordinator (Dr. M. Barış Yağcı).
The current KUYTAM research team further includes five doctoral researchers (Dr. Tuğçe Akkaş, Dr. Işınsu Baylam, Dr. Amir Motallebzadeh, Dr. Naeimeh Sadat Peighambardoust, and Dr. Gülsu Şimşek) with expertise that spans the specialization areas of the Center.
KUYTAM team (January 2019)
KUYTAM houses seven thematic surface characterization laboratories (Surface Analysis Laboratory, X-ray Laboratory, Spectroscopy Laboratory, Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory, Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Atomic Force Microscopy and Nanoindentation Laboratory, and Coating Laboratory) built over 600 m2.
The infrastructure consists of more than 30 state-of-the-art analysis instruments, including scanning electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes, x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, x- ray diffractometer, x-ray photo-emission spectrometer, Raman microscope, ultrafast pump-probe laser spectrometer, FTIR spectrometers, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, among others.
With this infrastructure, high precision measurements and analyses can be performed on surfaces with thicknesses ranging from a few atomic layers to beyond microns.
Our full-time experts, coming from various disciplines such as Physics, Chemistry, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, provide characterization and data interpretation services for external users from other institutions as well as Koç University research groups.
They also provide user training and lead their own externally funded research projects.
Two scanning electron microscopes and three X-ray diffractometers are intensively used in KUYTAM laboratories for materials
characterization.
Current KUYTAM research projects led by our researchers cover different areas within surface chemistry, surface physics, and surface engineering, as briefly described below:
KUYTAM houses a well-established ultrafast laser spectroscopy laboratory, allowing the characterization of surface and bulk kinetics over femtosecond and picosecond time scales.
The high-energy regeneratively amplified femtosecond laser is also utilized in surface micro fabrication of a wide variety of materials, such as polymers, glasses, ceramics, and metals.
KUYTAM Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory provides researchers a wide range of research capability in optical characterization and micro-fabrication.
Another research field which is currently being pursued by KUYTAM researchers involves the synthesis and characterization of novel, biocompatible high-entropy alloy surface coatings for medical implants.
High entropy alloys, a new category of metallic mixtures, have emerged as novel alloys with many excellent structural and functional properties, and have recently attracted a great deal of interest.
With fast development of new technologies and theories for exploring advanced coatings, researchers at KUYTAM are working on alternative high-entropy alloy coatings that can be applied on biomaterials and that are biocompatible, durable, and affordable.
Surface and cross-sectional electron microscopy images of a high entropy alloy film characterized at KUYTAM.
In KUYTAM, studies are also being carried out to examine cultural heritage works by using surface characterization techniques.
For example, a recent study in collaboration with Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum utilized KUYTAM infrastructure to carry out a detailed pigment and canvas analysis of six of Osman Hamdi Bey’s paintings within the scope of the project entitled “Scientific analysis and conservation of Osman Hamdi Bey’s paintings”.
In addition, there are several ongoing joint studies carried out between KUYTAM and the Department of Archeology and History of Art at Koç University. In this context, a variety of materials such as ancient ceramics decorated with mica,
Chinese porcelain, İznik tiles, red floor paints, human bones, sediment samples, and glass beads are being examined.
Moreover, KUYTAM is involved in an international collaboration with the Department of Physics at Ege University and Sorbonne University MONARIS Laboratory (France) to investigate earlier production of İznik tiles in the historical buildings in Edirne, Bursa, Kütahya, and Konya.
In situ, non-destructive XRF analysis on İznik tiles at the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne.
In summary, KUYTAM is equipped with a complete, state-of- the-art infrastructure to carry out surface science research and is open to researchers from other universities, public institutions, and industrial companies.
KUYTAM researchers lead externally funded research projects geared toward fundamental surface science as well as innovative product development. They also organize regular in-house workshops and participate in industrial fairs to provide training on novel surface analysis techniques for both academic and industrial groups.
Prof. Sennaroğlu giving a presentation about surface characterization techniques in PaintExpo Eurasia ve STT Show Eurasia 2017 Fair, İstanbul.
The author thanks Barış Yağcı, Gülsu Şimşek, Amir Motallebzadeh, Işınsu Baylam, Uğur Ünal, and Alper Uzun for their contributions in the preparation of this article.
Prof. Dr. Alphan Sennaroğlu
Director
Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM)
