Analytical Facilities

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 (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:

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.