Housed within the laboratory of Prof. T.J. McCarthy, the X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Laboratory is well equipped to meet the challenges that new polymers present. At the core of this facility, two Physical Electronics Inc., 5000 Series spectrophotometers, provide researchers with elemental analysis of polymer surfaces, measurement of surface composition, and depth profiling. Both spectrophotometers are dual anode, fixed lens instruments and one is equipped with an ion source, enabling ion scattering spectroscopy. This instrumentation also allows for the non-destructive assessment of sample lyophobicity.

Complementing this facility's instrumentation array is a Rame-Hart Inc., Model 100, NRL contact angle telegoniometer, and a Zygo Corporation non-contact profilometer. Training or consultation is provided by the director.