Laboratories and equipment
Newly
renovated laboratories are equipped with modern spectroscopic instruments and
catalytic reactors. The laboratories meet modern safety standards, being fitted
with gas detectors and alarms and large walk-in fume hoods for all the research
with toxic and flammable chemicals. The instruments include the following:
Infrared
spectrometer: Bruker IFS 66v (new, 2006), mid and far
FTIR capability, including FT Raman capability. Equipped for measurements with static
and flowing gases. In-situ
measurements with very high-vacuum.
Transmission cells allow measurements under high vacuum at normal
pressure and temperatures from liquid nitrogen temperature to 400°C. Gas delivery capabilities include
precise process measurements, flow monitoring, and batch or flow-through
operation of cells.
The flow
system is connected to a
mass spectrometer (Balzers) for on-line
analysis of product gases.
Ultrahigh
vacuum/normal pressure apparatus for chemisorption, surface area/pore volume,
temperature-programmed reduction/oxidation/decomposition, thermal gravimetric
analysis, and catalytic reaction measurements: The system
allows all these characterizations with single samples and is fitted to allow
introduction and removal of samples without contacting air. On-line analysis of effluents by mass
spectrometry.
UV-visible
spectrometer: Perkin-Elmer Lambda 2 instrument set up
for characterization of solid catalysts.
Flow
reactors: Six units, equipped with mass flow
controllers, including once-through plug flow reactors interfaced to gas
chromatographs. Pressures range from 1 to 80 atm.
Gas
chromatographs: Six instruments, including four
Hewlett-Packard 5890s with data stations.
EXAFS
cells: Newly designed transmission and
fluorescence cells for characterization of air-sensitive samples at
synchrotrons; capability for characterization of working catalysts. We also have state-of-the-art software
for data analysis and laptop computers for analysis of data as they are taken
at synchrotrons.
Catalyst
synthesis equipment: The apparatus includes two
nitrogen-purged glove boxes and vacuum lines for handling air-sensitive
materials.
Computers:
About 10 PCs and one Mac networked in the group. Laser printers including color
printers.
Solid-State
NMR spectrometers. Chemagneitcs 400-Mhz instrument and
laboratory funded by the Keck Foundation; 500-Mhz instrument on the way.
Low-energy
electron microscope
(LEEM)/scanning tunneling microscope (STM)/ultrahigh vacuum (UHV)
system.
A $1.1 million facility funded by the
National Science Foundation and has been operating since 1998.
High-resolution
TEM. The group has access to these
instruments in the department.
There will soon be a capability for imaging catalysts in reactive
atmospheres.
The
equipment is located in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science and all but the NMR spectrometer, the LEEM/STM/UHV system, and the TEMs
are dedicated to catalysis research.
Other equipment available in the department includes X-ray diffractometers, and a scanning electron microscope. Other equipment available in the university includes an atomic force microscope, ultrahigh vacuum equipment for electron spectroscopies, and extensive computer capability.