Facilities

NERC 2021

This space is managed by Prof. Jason Bara (Poly-SM co-Director) and Dr. Pravin Shinde.  This lab’s equipment and characterization facilities are available to external users, either directly or via the utilization of trained research staff.  User fees apply, depending on equipment use (research staff time, expendables, etc.).  Current facilities include:

Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) – DMF (model #VE2001)

• Company: Malvern Panalytical Ltd (Malvern, UK).
• GPCmax VE 2001 Autosampler system equipped with Viscotek VE 3580 refractive index (RI) detector.
• Output: Number average molecular weight (M_n in kDa), Weight average molecular weight (M_w in kDa), and Polydispersity index (PDI).

Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) – THF (model #HCL-8420GPC)

• Company: TOSOH (Tokyo, Japan) BIOSCIENCE.
• Equipped with an RI detector, an automatic sampler, a pump, an injector, an inline degasser, a column oven (40 °C), two in-series TSKgel Alpha-M GPC columns (13 μm, ID 7.8 mm x L 30 cm).
• The TSKgel Alpha-M mixed bed column has an extended linear calibration range and is suitable for samples with a broad molar mass distribution, as well as samples with unknown molar mass.
• What to expect: M_n (kDa), M_w (kDa), and PDI.

TA Instruments DSC – model #Discovery DSC250

• Company: TA Instruments (New Castle, DE, USA).
• The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is equipped with an autosampler system and a refrigerating cooling system RCS40. The temperature range is from -40 to 400 °C. The temperature and energy calibrations are performed using high-purity indium as a standard. The ultra-high pure nitrogen (UHP300, Airgas) is used as a cell purge gas at the flow rate of 20 mL/min. Different pans/lids such as Aluminum Tzero Pan, Alodined Hermetic Tzero Aluminum Pan, and Hermetic Tzero Lid can be used with the help of a Tzero press depending on the nature of the material to be analyzed. A Trios program from TA Instruments is also used to control and analyze the DSC thermograms.
• What to expect: Glass transition temperature (T_g), Melting temperature (T_m), and crystallization temperature (T_c)

Universal Testing Machine (e.g. mini Instron): model #Newton from Test Resources

• A single-column load-frame universal testing machine with a maximum force capacity of 1.1 kN and a speed range of 0.01 to 30 in/min. The stroke length (max elongation) is 12 in. The load measurement accuracy is ± 1.0% of reading down to 1/100th of load cell capacity. The grip is bollard type (Model G1103).
• What to expect: Elongation/tensile and compression stress-strain curves, Tensile strength, Elastic modulus.

3D Bioplotter: model #Starter series

• Company: EnvisionTec (Now Desktop Metal) (Germany).
• It is equipped with two print heads capable of 3D-printing polymeric materials at room temperature as well as at elevated temperatures (max 250 °C). The extrusion pressure is 5-7 bar.

DAWN Ambient (WD3)

• Seventh-generation multi-angle light scattering instrument for the characterization of macromolecules and nanoparticles. 
• Molar Mass Range: 200 Da to 1 GDa Molecular Size Range: 10 nm to 500 nm.

Other equipment

• Leica Polarized Optical Microscope with heating/cooling stage
• Alliance HPLC System: More Info: Click Here
• Discovery TGA 5500 with Mass Spectroscopy
• Discovery DMA 850
• Pfeiffer Mass Spec
• Discovery HP-TGA7500
• Affinity ITC: To measure molecular interactions (binding affinity). More Info: Click Here