FTIR Spectroscopy

The Tensor 27 is a spectrometer suitable for routine applications as well as for demanding laboratory analysis in the middle infrared (MIR). Measurements can be performed using an Attenuated Total Reflection device (ATR, MVP-ProTM Harrick Scientific Products) device or KBr pellets.

Applications: chemical characterization of powders, liquid materials (not solutions), films and textiles.

PMA 50 is a module that operates coupled to the  Tensor 27 FTIR spectrometer . It can perform polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) experiments in the MIR.

Applications:

PM-IRRAS allows for the high-sensitivity analysis of ultrathin layers and coatings, monolayers and submonolayers and biomolecules, deposited on surfaces, especially conducting ones (Au, Cu, Pd, alloys, etc). It provides information, not only about the composition of the deposited materials, but also about their organization, conformation and orientation.

Thanks to the characteristics of PM-IRRAS, samples can be measured without a reference and the yielded spectra are free from atmospheric interferences, such as carbon dioxide and water vapour.

VCD is a technique that provides 3D information of molecules. It can be applied for determining the secondary structure of proteins and peptides, the purity of enantiomers and also their absolute configuration by comparison with previously reported data or with data obtained by means of theoretical simulations.

UV-Vis Spectroscopy

The Cary 4000 is a high-end double beam UV-Visible spectrophotometer that offers a huge versatility of set-ups and accuracy.

Applications:

Characterization of liquids and films in the range 175-900 nm, and also powders by means of a diffuse reflectance accessory (DRA) in the range 300-800 nm. This device can be setup for performing reflectance, transmittance or absorbance measurements of diffuse, specular, or mixed samples, not only powders, but also other highly diffractive samples, like nanoparticles dispersions, rough films and surfaces, etc.

A liquid cell holder can be setup for performing variable temperature experiments using a thermostatic bath circulator.

•  Lambda 25 Spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer) 

Multi-range Spectroscopy

•  Vertex 80 Spectrometer (Bruker) 

The Hyperion 2000 is a FTIR/Vis-NIR microspectrometer that operates coupled to the Vertex 80. It allows for the microscopic inspection of samples and the obtaining of FTIR/Vis-NIR spectra in the selected spots, thus providing chemical and optical information of specific regions.

Available objectives:



Applications:

Characterization of specific spots in solid samples (films, coatings, powders, textiles, etc.). The automatization of the stage allows for the obtaining of chemical mappings of large regions.

Visible and infrared polarizers are available.

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta Potential

This equipment can provide information about the size and the colloidal stability (if it’s based on electrostatic repulsion) of particles, vesicles, micelles, proteins, etc. that are suspended in a liquid medium. Applications: determination of the size (0.6nm to 6μm) and zeta potential (for particles whose sizes are between 5nm to 10μm) of colloids.

A micro volume (12 μl) quartz cell for DLS and an universal dip cell for the determination of zeta potential in organic solvents are available.

Contact angle

Contact angle is useful for analysing the wettability of solid substrates, a very simple technique that can provide quick information about the nature of a surface (both chemical and morphological).

The DSA25S, thanks to its versatility, offers the possibility of obtaining other interesting information about materials (solids and liquids) beyond wettability.

Applications:

• Static and dynamic contact angle

• Surface free energy of solids.

• Surface and interfacial tension of liquids.

• Advancing and receding contact angles and evaluation of a roll off angle by tilting table method.

The DSA25S features a high speed camera with a resolution of, at least, 1920 x 1200 px, and an automatic software-controlled dispenser and tilting stage.

Optical microscopy

The Nikon ECLIPSE system is a straightforward but reliable microscope of especial interest in material science. It features 5x, 10, 20x, 50x and 100x magnification objectives and polarizing filters for the analysis of crystalline domains, liquid crystals and self-assembling organic materials, among others.