Selected Facilities in our Lab

TA Discovery Hybrid Rheometer (DHR 2)

The TA Discovery Hybrid Rheometer (DHR) represents the latest technological breakthroughs from the world leader in rheology. It combines a patented advanced drag cup motor, a second generation magnetic bearing, force rebalance transducer (FRT), and the new patent-pending True Position Sensor (TPS) in a single-head Hybrid rheometer. The DHR has unprecedented performance specification and delivers unsurpassed direct strain control, direct stress control, and normal force measurement accuracy. The DHR features all popular TA innovations including patented Smart Swap^TM geometries and the widest range of Smart Swap temperature systems and accessories commercially available.

Anton Paar Litesizer 500 Dynamic Light Scattering Equipment with dosino system

The Litesizer™ 500 is an instrument for characterizing nano- and microparticles in dispersions and solutions. It determines particle size, zeta potential, and molecular mass by measuring dynamic light scattering (DLS), electrophoretic light scattering (ELS), and static light scattering (SLS).

The Metrohm 800 Dosino system is suitable as a buret for simple dosings, titrations and for complex automation and liquid handling tasks such as sample transfers or pipetting.

MTI GSL-1500X-50-UL Compact Tube Furnace

GSL-1500X-50-UL is a compact high temperature 2″ O.D tube furnace using 99.8% High Purity processing tube and SiC heating elements as heating elements. Vacuum sealing assembly is included to connect with 1/4″ gas hose. The temperature of GSL1500X tube furnace is controlled by high precision SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) digital controller with accuracy +/-1°C and 30 segments programmable up to 1500°C.

Muffle Furnace with Vent Port & Quartz Window  – KSL-1200X-UL

KSL-1200X-UL is a CE certified and TUV(UL61010) or CSA Ready compact muffle furnace that offers 12″ x 8″ x 5″ high purity fibrous alumina chamber, gas inlet and outlet ports and a 30 programmable segments temperature controller and UL / MET / CSA Certified electric components. It is the ideal muffle furnace for preparing samples with the temperatures up to 1100 °C in research and dental labs with maximum energy saving.

Syringe Pump

The Chemyx Fusion 200 is a modular two-channel syringe pump. Infuse and withdraw racks come standard with the system which allows a pulling functionality to withdraw fluids. Additionally, this two-channel syringe pump can support a 10-syringe expansion rack for parallel dosing functionality. Fusion 200 system ensure pulseless, reproducible flow rates for a wide range of analytical techniques and applications in chemical, pharma and biotech R&D. Key feature includes: holds syringes from 0.5µL to 60mL, modular Infuse/Withdraw and Optional 10 syringe rack available, rates from 0.0001 µL/min to 102 mL/min

Centrifuge

The Eppendorf 5702 R is a refrigerated model for heat-sensitive samples. Maximum speed is 4400 rpm and the operating temperature range is -9° to +40°C.

General Protocol Oven

Thermo Scientific™ Heratherm™ OGS60 General Protocol Oven provides an ideal heating and drying solution for research needs. Operating temperature up to 250°C. Automatic over-temperature alarm system and built in timer.

Overhead Stirrer

IKA RW 20 digital Overhead Stirrer with adjustable speed range from 90-2400 rpm. This mechanical mixer has two speed ranges for low-speed mixing of high viscosity materials and intensive mixing of low viscosity materials.

X-Ray Powder diffraction diffraction

PANALYTICAL X’PERT MATERIALS RESEARCH DIFFRACTOMETER and PANALYTICAL X’PERT PRO MULTI-PURPOSE DIFFRACTOMETER (MPD)

The x-ray diffractometers in the Advanced Materials Characterization Laboratory (AMCL) are available to SusMatLab to provide phase identification and texture analysis. These instruments provide diffraction intensity data that can then be compared to the JCPDS and ICDD databases in the lab to confirm the phase identification. In addition, Rietveld analysis programs are available to provide quantitative analysis of mixtures.

Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopes

HELIOS NANO LAB 600 ; TECNAI F20 STEM and HITACHI S-4700 FESEM.

The FEI Helios NanoLab 600 FIB/FESEM is intended for a simultaneous site-specific FIB cross-sectioning and high resolution nondestructive SEM imaging. It is equipped with a STEM detector for STEM imaging and an Omniprobe (AutoProbe 200.2) nanomanipulator for high-accuracy nanomanipulation. The instrument is capable of nanoscale Platinum deposition, patterning, lithography, and TEM cross-section specimen preparation. It is also equiped with an Oxford Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and an HKL Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) system for composition and orientation analyses.

The FEI Tecnai F20 is a 200kV field emission gun (FEG) high resolution TEM/STEM which has a SuperTwin objective lens with a Cs of 1.2 mm. With its 200 kV acceleration voltage and its Schottky field emission source, this instrument provides outstanding stability, ease-of-use and high-resolution performance in TEM/STEM imaging and micro-analysis. The scope is equipped with an Oxford ultra-thin window EDX detector, a Gatan ORIUS wide-angle CCD, a Gatan ultra-scan CCD and annular bright field/dark field detectors for STEM imaging.

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES)

AVIO 200 ICP-OES: Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) with liquid autosampler. This model purchased from Perkin Elmer is mainly used for metal elements, and semi-metal elements analysis. Boron (B), silica (Si), phosphorous (P), sulfur (S), and more nonmetallic elements also can be detected. The sensitivity of ICP-OES analysis is not as good as ICP-MS analysis for many elements.

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)

NexION 300 ICP-MS: A PerkinElmer bench top ICP-MS with single nanoparticle (SP)-ICP-MS function. This ICP-MS is highly sensitive for metal elements and other elements analysis with a specific software system that can be used for single nanoparticle analysis. It not only can detect the trace concentrations of nanoparticles but also can detect particle size, aggregation and more.

Ion Chromatography (IC)

IC 500 system with autosampler from Dionex. It is used to analyze anions such as fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), nitrate (NO3-), nitride (NO2-), phosphate (PO43-), sulfate (SO43-), and many other anions.

Total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer

Total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer is a Shimadzu product. The system is composed of TOC-L, ASI-L liquid autosampler, solid sample module, nitrogen module and a Whatman model 78-40 gas generator. This instrument is used to detect total organic carbon, total inorganic carbon, and also can detect total nitrogen (TN) in both liquid and solid samples.

Mercury Analyser

Model 2600 CVAFS mercury analysis system with a Model 2620 autosampler purchased from Tekran is used for ultra-low level mercury analysis. The detection limit of this instrument can reach to low part per trillion (ppt) concentrations.

Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAA)

Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAA), model Analyst 600, equipped with a model AS800 autosampler was purchased from PerkinElmer. It is mainly used to detect trace level metal and semi-metal elements. The instrument detection limit can reach to part per billion (ppb) for most metal and semi-metal elements, but it can detect only one element each time. Comparing with ICP-MS and ICP-OES, GFAA is more economic to run but takes more time.

TAM IV Microcalorimeter

TAM IV is a unique Microcalorimeter system that is completely modular and combines the highest heat flow sensitivity with unmatched long term temperature stability for measuring many processes that are undetectable by other techniques..

XRF Oxford X-Supreme 8000

XRF (X-ray fluorescence) is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials. XRF analyzers determine the chemistry of a sample by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-ray emitted from a sample when it is excited by a primary X-ray source. Each of the elements present in a sample produces a set of characteristic fluorescent X-rays (“a fingerprint”) that is unique for that specific element, which is why XRF spectroscopy is an excellent technology for qualitative and quantitative analysis of material composition.

Hitachi S-4700 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope

SEM is capable of high resolution imaging, including backscatter imaging or z contrast to study anything from nanoparticles on tissue to different phases on geological samples.

GC

A Hewlett Packard (HP) model 5890 Series II Gas Chromatograph (GC) with Flame Ionization detector (FID) and Electron Capture Detector (ECD) fitted with a HP model 7673 GC/FSC liquid autosampler and a Tekkmar headspace autosampler. This system is used to analyze volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. ECD is best for detecting electron-absorbing components (high electronegativity) such as halogenated compounds. FID is best for detecting hydrocarbons and other easily flammable components. The liquid autosampler is used for general liquid injection, and the headspace autosampler is used for headspace injection of solid or liquid samples.

LTA HPLC

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system composed with two model P600 pumps, a model UV600 UV-Vis absorbance detector, a Spark model 840 autosampler, and a column oven. It was purchased from LabTech America. This instrument can be used for analysis of compounds absorbing UV-Vis light in wavelength range 190nm-600nm. s.

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

Model Cary 50 Scanning UV/Vis Spectrophotometer purchased from Varian. This is a very fast scan rate spectrophotometer (can scan the whole wavelength range of 190-1100 nm in less than 3 seconds) can be used to measure the concentration of the compounds absorbing light wavelength in UV and visible ranges, to scan the absorption spectra of the compounds, and to perform kinetic study (data collection rate 80 points/sec).

Waters HPLC

A Waters High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system composed with a model 600E controller, a model 60F pump, a model 717 Plus autosampler, a model 996 PDA (photodiode array) detector, and a model 2475 fluorescence detector (FLD). This HPLC is used to analyze those compounds absorbing UV and visible wavelengths light by PDA detector and those compounds fluorescence by FLD.

NMR

Magritek Spinsolve Carbon Benchtop NMR offers 1D 1H, 19F and 13C experiments that use standard 5 mm NMR tubes. 13C experiments include spectral editing with DEPT, 2D direct HETCOR and 2D indirect experiments such as HMQC and HMBC.  For proton 2D COSY and homonuclear j-resolved spectroscopy are offered along with T1 and T2 relaxation experiments.

FTIR

Designed to be highly flexible, the Nicolet iS50 FTIR Spectrometer can be upgraded from a simple FT-IR bench to a fully-automated multi-spectral range system that can acquire spectra from far-infrared to visible. Anyone can initiate novel ATR, Raman and NIR modules at the touch of a button, enabling access to these techniques without manually changing system components.

Thermogravimetric Analyzer

The Q50 TGA, manufactured by TA Instruments measures the change in mass of a sample with respect to temperature. It utilizes a sensitive micro-balance and precision temperature control.  A quick start guide has been compiled for new users.