Instrumentation

Thermal Analysis

  • Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) with Autosampler
    • Measuring the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a sample relative to that of a known reference material
    • Beneficial in determining phase transitions as well as a number of thermodynamic properties of an array of materials
  • Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) with Autosampler
    • Measures mass flux as temperature changes indicating phase transitions as well as other environmental factors such as absorption and desorption
    • Especially useful in studies on polymeric materials

Rheology

Mechanical Analysis

  • Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA)
    • Temperature of the sample and frequency of the applied force enables the ability to visualize how it withstands different stresses and strains
    • Especially useful in studying viscoelastic behaviors of polymers
  • Instron Universal Testing Machine – Model 5542
    • Several attachments that can test materials ability to withstand tensile and compression applications while measuring the changes present in the sample

Transmission Analysis

  • Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS)
    • Measures how much and how quickly a solvent is absorbed by a sample
    • Ideal for use in a wide range of industries
  • MOCON Oxygen Transmission Analyzer (2/12 Series/R Model)
    • Test the Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) on both films and packages from low to high barriers
    • The oxygen permeation measurement systems feature 2 independent cells with changeable horizontal test cartridges that allow a wide variety of sample sizes and types to be easily and accurately tested

Other In-Lab Instrumentation

  • Portable refractometers, medium- to high-solids (Fisher Scientific Co., Pittsburg, PA, USA)
  • Dissolution Tester VK 7000 (Varian, Inc., Cary, NC, USA)
  • Isotemp Vacuum Oven 281A (Fisher Scientific Co., Suwanee, GA, USA)
  • Agilent 1100 series HPLC apparatus (Palo Alto, CA, USA) with Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) Column
  • Carver Press

Other Campus Instrumentation

MRI – Wright Center of Innovation in Biomedical Imaging

  • Phillips 3T human scanner

High-field NMR – Campus Chemical Instrumentation Center

  • 600 & 700 MHz solution NMR
  • 800 MHz micro-imaging NMR

Microscopy – Campus Microscopy & Imaging Facility

  • Light microscopy
  • Confocal
  • SEM
  • TEM