Temperature-control Structure-Property Characterization (TSPC) System for
Future Energy System and Material Science

Project Lead: Dr. Bo Zhang, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. James Hogan, Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta; Dr. Jing Liu, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta

The Temperature-Controlled Structure–Property Characterization (TSPC) System is a new experimental platform developed to investigate how the microscopic structure and mechanical properties of natural and engineered materials change under different temperature and environmental conditions.

The system supports research on rocks, soils, metals, ceramics, composites, alloys, concrete, cement, coatings, and other advanced materials. It enables quantitative characterization of properties such as elastic modulus, hardness, fracture toughness, adhesion, surface morphology, creep, fatigue, and mechanical heterogeneity from the micro- to nanoscale.

A key objective of the project is to establish temperature-dependent structure–property relationships and connect microscale observations with engineering-scale material behaviour. The experimental data generated by the system will support multiscale modelling, constitutive model development, numerical upscaling, and data-driven prediction of material performance.

For GeoResourceCloud, the platform will support research in subsurface energy geotechnics, including oil sands thermal recovery, geothermal energy, geological CO₂ storage, underground hydrogen storage, hydraulic fracturing, well and caprock integrity, mining, and other applications involving coupled thermal and mechanical processes.

Equipment Capabilities

• Micro Combi Tester (MCT3): Micro-indentation and micro-scratch testing for rocks, ceramics, metals, coatings, and other hard or heterogeneous materials.

• Nanoindentation Tester (NHT3): High-precision nanoscale mechanical testing for measuring stiffness, hardness, creep, fatigue, and dynamic mechanical response.

• Atomic Force Microscope (AFM): Nanoscale surface imaging and mapping of morphology, microstructure, deformation, and fracture surfaces.

• Environmental Control Chamber: Testing over a broad temperature range from approximately −40 °C to +450 °C, with controlled gas or liquid environments.

• High-Stability Measurement Platform: Active vibration isolation, acoustic control, and high-magnification optical microscopy for precise micro- and nanoscale measurements.

Research Applications

The TSPC system supports research in subsurface energy and geomechanics, mining and geoengineering, advanced energy materials, civil infrastructure, aerospace and defence materials, and multiscale material modelling.

Within GeoResourceCloud, particular emphasis is placed on characterizing the temperature-dependent behaviour of reservoir rocks, caprock, oil sands, salt, and other geomaterials. These measurements will improve understanding of deformation, fracture, creep, fatigue, and failure mechanisms relevant to geothermal systems, CO₂ and H₂ storage, thermal recovery, well integrity, and subsurface engineering.

The facility will also generate high-quality experimental datasets for developing multiscale and data-driven models that connect mineralogy, microstructure, and local mechanical properties with macroscopic engineering performance.