University of Waterloo
Engineering 6 (E6)
Phone: 519-888-4567
Staff and Faculty Directory
Contact the Department of Chemical Engineering
Welcome
Welcome to the Department of Chemical Engineering’s Analytical Laboratory Facilities. We provide analytical instrumentation and expertise to the University of Waterloo and the surrounding research and industrial community. We are equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art equipment. The list of the testing instruments currently available in the analytical lab in Chemical Engineering is presented below. Other more specialized equipment is available in individual research labs.
We have two different service options available.
Option 1 - Researchers can be trained in the use of the equipment and carry out their research and measurement independently.
Option 2 –Researchers and industry can send samples to our lab for our technical staff to process.
For internal users including members of the Department of Chemical Engineering and the University of Waterloo, please check our website for more information, including booking calendar and lab fees.
For more details contact Charles Dal Castel, 519-888-4567 x33311.
Typical applications:
Imaging, measuring and manipulating matter at the nanoscale (lateral resolution of 1Å and a vertical resolution of 0.1Å).
Differentiate areas on a sample based on properties such as friction, adhesion, and viscoelasticity (Phase Imaging).
Measures frictional forces on a surface (Lateral Force mode).
Instrument:
Digital Instruments Multimode Atomic Force Microscope with IIIa controller
Capabilities:
Contact, non-contact, and tapping mode.
Standard probe holder and fluid cell probe holder.
Scanners:
J scanner: range 125x125x5 µm
E scanner: range 10x10x2.5 µm
A scanner: range 0.4x0.4x0.4 µm
Fluorescence Spectrometer
Typical applications:
Used to quantify and characterize fluorescent compounds.
Instrument:
Agilent Cary Eclipse
Capabilities:
Excitation and Emission range: 200 – 900 nm.
Scan rate 0.010 to 24,000 nm/min
Temperature controlled cuvette holder.
Well plate reader.
Fiber optic attachment for remote reading or solid samples.
Typical applications:
CDS: Characterization of structural aspects of proteins and DNA (a-helix, b-sheet). Conformational stability of proteins.
UV-Vis: Quantitative measurement of discrete wavelengths of UV or visible light that are absorbed by a sample.
Instrument:
Jasco J-815
Capabilities:
Light source: 150 W Xe arc lamp.
Wavelength range: 163-900 nm (Nitrogen gas purge).
Circular dichroism (CD), UV-Vis absorbance, and Fluorescence (excitation).
Peltier cuvette holder for temperature-controlled measurements (-10°C to 110°C).
Cuvettes available: 0.1, 1, 5, 10 mm.
Amount of sample required:
0.04 to 4 mL.
Typical applications:
Determination of phase transitions: Melting (Tm) and crystallization (Tc) temperature.
Glass transition temperature (Tg)
Heat capacity
Reaction kinetics
Instrument:
TA instruments Q2000 with RCS90
Capabilities:
Temperature range from -90°C to 400°C (550°C in non-isothermal experiments)
Tzero and Tzero hermetic pans.
Experiments in nitrogen or air (oxygen is also possible)
Modulated DSC
Autosampler
Amount of sample required:
2 to 20 mg
Typical applications:
Identify and quantify chemical substances or functional groups in solid, liquid, or gaseous forms.
Instrument:
Thermo Nexus 670 with Continuum microscope.
Capabilities:
Detectors: MCT-A (Liquid N2, range: 11700-600 cm-1) and DTGS (room temperature, range: 12500-350 cm-1)
Sampling modes: Transmission (KBr pellets, NaCl disks, films, liquid cell, gas cell), Attenuated total reflectance (ATR), and diffuse reflectance (DRIFTS).
IR Microscope: Digital image and video capturing, brightfield Köhler illumination, polarized light, fluorescence illumination, differential interference contrast (DIC), 15x and 32x IR/visible objectives.
Typical applications:
Separation and quantification of compounds in a mixture that can be vaporized without decomposition.
Instrument:
Agilent 6890
Capabilities:
Column oven operating Temperature: Ambient temperature +4°C to 450°C.
Carrier and Make-up Gas: Helium.
Detectors: Flame ionization detector (FID) and Thermal conductivity detector (TCD).
Manual injector for liquid and gas samples.
Autosampler (7683 Series) for liquid samples
Capabilities:
Column oven operating Temperature: Ambient temperature +4°C to 450°C
Carrier Gas: Helium.
Detectors: Saturn 2000 (MS/MS);
Manual injector for liquid and gas samples.
Autosampler for liquid samples (CP-8410)
Amount of sample required:
0.2 to 2 mL.
Typical applications:
Separation and quantification of compounds in a liquid mixture.
Instrument:
Separation module Waters 2690.
Capabilities:
Isocratic and gradient elution (up to 4 solvents).
Column oven operating Temperature: Ambient temperature +4°C to 65°C.
Photodiode Array Detector Waters 2996: wavelength range from 190 to 800 nm.
Multi λ Fluorescence Detector Waters 2475: Excitation wavelength range from 200 to 890 nm and emission wavelength range 210 to 900 nm.
Autosampler
Amount of sample required:
0.25 to 2mL for single injection
Typical applications:
Identification and quantification of chemical elements, most commonly metals in aqueous solution in the ppm to ppb range.
Solid samples can be analyzed using digestion/extraction.
Simultaneous analysis of multiple elements.
Instrument:
Teledyne Leeman Labs Prodigy ICP-OES
Capabilities:
Echelle grating optical system and Large Format Programmable Array Detector (L-PAD)
General purpose and HF compatible sample introduction system.
Digestion block, tubes, filters, and accessories.
Standard solutions for a large selection of elements are available. Commonly analyzed elements include: Aluminum, Antimony, Barium, Beryllium, Boron, Cadmium, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Potassium, Silicon, Sodium, Strontium, Thallium, Vanadium, Zinc.
Autosampler.
Amount of sample required:
3mL for single injection
Typical applications:
Examination and analysis of micro-level biological samples in transmission mode.
Instrument:
Zeiss Axiovert 200
Capabilities:
Light source: Hal 100 W (100 W halogen lamp) and HBO 50 (50 W mercury vapor short-arc lamp)
Digital image and video capturing, brightfield Köhler illumination, polarized light, fluorescence illumination, differential interference contrast (DIC),
Fluorescence Filter Cube: 360/40 470/40; 485/20 515-565; 500/20; 535/30; 535/40 605/55; 640/20 680/30.
Typical applications:
Separation and quantification of ions in aqueous solutions in the ppm to ppb range.
Instrument:
Dionex IC system
Gradient Pump GP40 , Electrochemical Detector ED40, Autosampler AS40.
Capabilities:
Standard bore pump head and column.
Isocratic and gradient elution (up to 4 solvents).
Conductivity detector with ion suppression.
Currently configured to analysis of anions using column Dionex IonPac AS17
Standard solutions for a large selection of ions are available. Commonly analyzed elements include: Fluoride, Chloride, Bromide, Nitrate, Nitrite, Sulphate, and Phosphate.
Autosampler
Amount of sample required:
5mL for single injection
Typical applications:
Examination and analysis of micro and nano materials by imaging characterization of solid objects. SEM signals can be used for external morphology (texture) and chemical composition characterization.
Instrument:
Tescan VEGA TS-5130
Capabilities:
Tungsten filament
Accelerating Voltages: 5, 10, 20, and 30 kV.
Secondary electrons (SE), back scattered electrons (BSE), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) detectors.
Sample requirement:
Dry solids, stable under vacuum, and electrically conductive.
Instrument:
TA instruments Q600
Capabilities:
Accurate and reliable horizontal dual-balance
Supports both DSC and TGA measurements
Weight signal is the differential between the sample and reference beams
Temperature range from room temperature to 1500°C.
Platinum and alumina pans.
Experiments in nitrogen or air
Amount of sample required:
10-30 mg
Typical applications:
Technique used to spread uniform thin films on flat substrates by centrifugal force.
Instrument:
Headway Research Spinner System
Capabilities:
Programmable controller for multi-step recipes (rpm, ramp, time).
Speed up to 10,000 rpm.
Multiple sample holders.
Typical applications:
Determinations of surface area by single-point and multipoint BET methods, total pore volume, and pore size distribution (adsorption isotherm only).
Instrument:
Micromeritics Gemini VII 2390a
Capabilities:
Surface Area: from 0.1 m², total; From 0.01 m²/g, specific
Pore Volume: 4 x 10-6 cm³/g
Adsorbate: Nitrogen gas in liquid nitrogen sample bath.
3/8 in. sample tubes.
Heated, nitrogen and vacuum degasser for sample preparation (FlowPrep 060 and VacPrep 061).
Amount of sample required:
0.1 to 1.0 g (min 10 m2/sample).
Typical applications:
Determination of thermal stability of materials
Composition of mixtures
Reaction kinetics
Instrument:
TA instruments Q500
Capabilities:
Temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C.
Platinum and alumina pans.
Experiments in nitrogen or air
Autosampler
Amount of sample required:
10-30 mg
Typical applications:
Microstructure analysis (crystallite size, microstrain, disorder, etc).
Identification and quantification of crystalline and amorphous phases.
Nano particle size and shape
Instrument:
Bruker D8 Focus
Capabilities:
Copper target and scintillation detector.
Adjustable slits and acceleration voltage.
Powder, film, and bulk sample holders. Sample spinner. Transmission mode.
Autosampler
Instrument:
Rigaku Miniflex II
Capabilities:
Powder sample holders.
Copper target and scintillation detector. Chromium target available.
Amount of sample required:
Starting at 0.2g but typically 2g for powder.
University of Waterloo
Engineering 6 (E6)
Phone: 519-888-4567
Staff and Faculty Directory
Contact the Department of Chemical Engineering
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