Understand Your Materials –

See what’s happening beneath the surface

At Secat, we give you a complete picture of your materials — from microstructure to performance. Our hands-on characterization services provide actionable insights that help you optimize alloys, improve processes, and develop high-performing products.

Our Lexington laboratory offers state-of-the-art facilities for materials testing and development, giving you the tools to evaluate, refine, and advance your products with confidence.

Why Characterization Matters

Every piece of metal tells a story. Through advanced characterization techniques, Secat helps you uncover what’s happening beneath the surface — so you can make informed decisions, solve production challenges, and develop better materials.

Benefits of Materials Characterization Testing:

  • Evaluate quality and consistency of materials

  • Detect and understand defects or failures

  • Support process improvement and R&D

  • Validate supplier materials and heat treatments

  • Document compliance with standards or specs

Materials Characterization Services

Microstructural Analysis

  • Optical Microscopy: Examine grain structure, phase distribution, and surface features.

  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): High-resolution imaging for detailed surface morphology and elemental analysis.

  • Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM): Nanoscale examination of internal structures and interfaces.

Elemental and Phase Composition

  • Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS): Elemental mapping and quantification.

  • X-ray Diffraction (XRD): Phase identification and crystallographic analysis.

  • X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS): Surface chemical state and composition profiling.

Thermal and Surface Analysis

  • Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC): Thermal transitions and stability.

  • Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA): Decomposition and thermal stability.

Weld & Joint Evaluation

  • Analyze weld quality, interfaces, and defects to ensure integrity and performance in fabricated assemblies.

Investigation Examples

Grain Size Evaluation

Particle Size Evaluation

Particle Size Evaluation

SEM/EDS