Analytical Facilities

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:

• High-resolution imaging of cellular structures and organelles.

• Visualizing the 3D organization of tissues and cells.

• Studying molecular localization and dynamics using fluorescently labelled markers.

• Investigating surface properties and material interfaces in 3D.

Instrument:

• Nikon Eclipse Ti2 Spinning Disk Confocal Microscope

Capabilities:

• Light Source: Crest X-light V2 with 7 lasers - 365, 440, 488, 514, 516, 640, and 730 nm.
• Objectives: 10x, 20x, 60x (water)

Typical applications:

• Determination of phase transitions: Melting (T_m) and crystallization (T_c) temperature.
• Glass transition temperature (T_g)
• 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:

Measurement of dimensional changes of materials as a function of temperature. Characteristics measured using the dilatometer include coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), curie point, crystalline transformation, glass transition temperature, and phase transitions.

Instrument:

• Orton Dilatometer D1000

Capabilities:

• Temperature range: Room temperature to 1500°C

Typical applications

• Examination and analysis of micro-level biological samples in transmission mode.

Capabilities:

• Light Source: LED.
• Fully integrated hardware/software.
• Filters for RFP, GFP, DAPI and Texas Red.
• Objectives: 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x.

Typical applications:

• Separation and quantification of compounds in a mixture that can be vaporized without decomposition

Instruments:

• Agilent 7890A GC and 6890 systems

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)
• Inlets: Split/Splitless inlets
• Manual injector for liquid and gas samples
• Autosampler for liquid samples

Typical applications:

• Characterization of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of macromolecules

Instrument:

• Malvern Viscotek TDAmax GPC system with refractive index (concentration), viscometer (size and structure), light scattering (molecular weight), and UV-Vis (chemical composition) detectors

Capabilities:

• Up to 5 columns: room temperature to 80°C
• Autosampler for 120 vials
• Wavelength range: 190-740mm
• Solvent: THF

 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:

• Determination of particle size distribution of dispersed sample suspended in a solvent

Instrument:

• Shimadzu SALD-201V Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer

Capabilities:

• Analyzer with a flow-thru cell
• Particle size range: 0.25 to 350 µm

  Typical applications:

• A Rheometer measures the flow properties and viscosity of materials, helping to assess how they behave under different stress, temperature, or shear conditions
• Used in the polymer industry to study the flow properties of materials like molten plastics and rubber. This helps in determining the processing conditions, such as extrusion or injection molding parameters.
• Rheometers help researchers understand the flow behavior of new materials and formulations, aiding in material design and development, especially in complex or multi-phase systems.

Capabilities:

• Controlled stress (steady, transient, oscillation)
• Controlled strain (steady, transient, iterative oscillation)
• Direct Strain (oscillation)
• Fast data collection
• The temperature range is -160 °C to 600 °C with controllable heating rates of up to 60 °C/min.
• Solvent Trap/Evaporation Blocking System

Capabilities:  

• Controlled stress (steady, transient, oscillation)
• Controlled strain (steady, transient, iterative oscillation)
• The temperature range is -50 °C to +220 °C with controllable heating rates of up to 60 °C/min.
• Structure analysis of materials under shear using the microscope.

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:

• Determination 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:

• Determine the strength and deformation behavior of a material up to the point of fracture.

Model:

• CellScale UniVert

Capabilities:

• Easy-to-change fixtures and load cells for various applications
• Integrated imaging for test visualization, analysis, and presentation
• Comprehensive user interface software for straightforward, cyclic, relaxation, and multi-modal testing with immediate feedback
• Integrated environmental chambers
• Optional secondary axes for shear, torsion, or pressure testing.

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:

• Quantitative measurement of discrete wavelengths of UV or visible light that are absorbed by a sample.

Model:

• Cary 5000 UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer, Agilent

Capabilities:

• Measure beyond 8.0 absorbance units with reference beam attenuation.
• Measure 175 to 3300 nm using a PbSmart NIR detector for lower stray light and extended photometric range.
• Cary WinUV software—modular software with powerful analysis and enhanced transfer and report export capabilities.
• Versatile set of accessories for materials research, including spectral and diffuse reflectance.
• Variable slit widths (down to 0.01 nm) for optimum control over data resolution.
• Large sample compartment with LockDown mechanism for quick changes and positioning—for reproducible results.
• Maximum light throughput using Schwarzchild coupling optics for higher accuracy at low transmission levels.
• Minimal noise and stray light using a floating aluminum casting and double Littrow monochromator.
• Extended dynamic range by attenuating the reference beam to balance double beam signal levels.
• Nitrogen purging—separate purging in the sample and monochromator compartments to reduce oxygen and water vapor in the ultra-violet.

Typical applications:

• Microstructure analysis (crystallite size, microstrain, disorder, etc.)
• Identification and quantification of crystalline and amorphous phases
• Nano particle size and shape

Capabilities:

• Copper target and scintillation detector
• Adjustable slits and acceleration voltage
• Powder, film, and bulk sample holders. Sample spinner. Transmission mode.
• Autosampler

Capabilities:

• Powder sample holders
• Copper target and scintillation detector. Chromium target available
• Amount of sample required: starting at 0.2 g but typically 2 g for powder