Shared Instrumentation

Centrifuge for processing and separating nanomaterials produced in solution. Choice of 13 rotors and multiple pre-bundled application packages. Capacity range: 500 µL to 1.6 L with SX4400 swinging bucket rotor. Run time: up to 10 hours.
Maximum speed: 4700 rpm with swing bucket rotor; 18000 rpm with fixed angle rotor.
Set temperature range: -20 to +40°C with CFC-free refrigeration.

Benchmark Scientific H4000-H hot plate; MTI SYJ-150 precision cutting saw; Amscope XJP-H100 Metallurgical  Trinocular  Microscope (from left to right) 

Used for TEM sample preparation, the set up includes a hotplate to melt adhesives (e.g., mounting wax); a precision cutting saw to cut samples to the preferred size; and an optical microscope to examine samples. Hot plate unit offers a 7.5 x 7.5” ceramic work surface with controlled temperature up to 380°C. Cutting saw speed range: 0-600 rpm. Cutting width of sample slices range from 1 – 24 mm. Microscope is equipped with two 10X eyepieces  and two 16X eyepieces with  18 mm and 11 mm fields of view, respectively. Interpupillary distance of the eyepiece adjustable from 53-75 mm.

Compact spin coater for uniform deposition of thin films and coatings. Power: 100 W; speed: 500-8500 rpm with ± 10 rpm precision; time: 0-999 seconds; substrate size 5–100 mm.

Oven for drying glassware and drying/annealing nanomaterials from solution-phase synthesis at moderate (<300°C) temperatures.

Dual Range:
Fine range has 0.01-mg readability, and 31-g capacity.
Full range has 0.1-mg readability, and  220-g capacity.

Oven for drying glassware and drying/annealing nanomaterials.
Maximum temperature: 315°C
Dimensions: 24 x 22 x 30.5"

Ultrasonic bath used to clean laboratory glassware and instrument parts.
Digital timer range: 1–99 min; temperature range: 20-69°C; operating frequency: 35 Khz

This Thermo Scientific vacuum oven is equipped with a radiant warm-wall heating system that optimizes uniformity and conserves chamber space for drying, curing, vacuum embedding, and plating applications, with a maximum temperature of 220°C

Plasma cleaners are used in materials science, polymer science, biomedical materials, microfluidics, optics, microscopy, and dental & medical research, especially nanoscale surface cleaning and surface activation. This unit features adjustable radio frequency power settings (maximum RF: 30W); a 6″ x 6.5″ Pyrex chamber; and active fan cooling.

Analytical Balance:  120-g capacity, 0.1-mg readability, with guided leveling.
Contains MonoBloc Weighing Cell, FACT automatic internal adjustment, and has color TFT touchscreen with clear icons.

This centrifuge is used for processing and separating nanomaterials produced in solution. Unique "2-in-1" hybrid design with interchangeable fixed angle and swinging buckets, able to accommodate 1.4 mL to 15 mL common blood tubes, gel tubes, 10 mL standard syringes and 15 mL conical tubes.

This vacuum oven is equipped with a radiant warm-wall heating system that optimizes uniformity and conserves chamber space for drying, curing, vacuum embedding, and plating applications. Maximum temperature: 220°C

This is a high-performance, research-grade potentiostat/galvanostat/ZRA designed for fast, low-current measurements.  Its applications include physical electrochemistry; fast cyclic voltammetry; electrochemical corrosion; electrochemical noise measurements; electrochemical investigation of solid-liquid interface; semiconductor photo-electrochemistry; electrochemical deposition; fuel cell studies; and battery/capacitor studies.

Analytical balance used for basic weighing, parts counting, percent weighing, animal weighing, density determination. RS232 and USB device, GLP/GMP data output with real-time clock. 

The ultrasonic bath is used to clean laboratory glassware and instruments.
Digital timer range: 1–99 min
Capacity: 9.5 L
Operating frequency: 40 kHz

Angstrom Glove Box Integration integrates processing and characterization equipment, including spin coaters, sensitive material storage, substrate preparation, and an organic and inorganic thin film deposition system. Fabrication is contained within a controlled environment; inert atmosphere of deposition chamber means faster pump down speeds; and samples, as well as evaporated materials, can be loaded from the glove box resulting in fewer variables to contend with.

The tube furnace is used to calcine samples of SBA-15 with a dense titanicone coating and to clean alumina TGA crucibles. Fittings, connection, and valves allow heating samples in a vacuum or flowing gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.
Maximum operating temperature: 1250°C

The EZ7-380V Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) can reach fields up to 21.5 kOe at a sample space of 4 mm, and fields above 17.5 kOe with the temperature chamber in place. The VSM can measure liquid, powder, solid, bulk, and thin film samples, including samples that have low magnetic moment. Sample temperature chamber range: 4.2K to 1050K. 

The Profilometer has broad applications in characterization of thin films and feature size of patterned structures, as it can measure the vertical profile of samples, thin film width, and film roughness. 

The PAD technique is used to grow films and nanostructured materials with properties tailored to the requirements of a specific product, component, or application. The PAD system shown here directly applies water-based “precursor solution” to the surface to be coated (“substrate”) in open air. Once the substrate coating is dried, it is heated in a controlled environment to complete synthesis of the substance. 

The Mark-10 F105 advanced force test stand is used for tension and compression force testing applications. Maximum travel range: 457 mm; speed range: 0.5 -1100 mm/min; position accuracy: ±0.05 mm under any load, in any position. Force capacity: 500 lbF (2.2 kN). 

The combustion ion chromatography (CIC) system can be used for the analysis of semi- and non-volatile organo-halogen compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Currently, the CIC system is used for extractable organofluorine (EOF) analysis to evaluate the total amount of known and unknown PFAS in biosolids and wastewater.