ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY (AFM)

Description

• Instrument : Innova SPM Atomic Force Microscope
  
• Both contact and tapping modes are available.
  
• Scanner —100 μm
  

Applications

Testing capabilities:

• surface morphology


• particle size


• roughness of the samples and 3D and 2D images

Sample Specification

• Thin Films : Thickness up to 3 mm, Diameter 1 cm


• Metals : Thickness up to 3 mm, Diameter 1 cm


• If the sample in powder form spread it thinly on a microscope slide using a drop of acetone (to be done by the user).


• Tooth : Thickness and diameter below 1 cm

Limitations

• Direct liquid samples and powder samples cannot be tested

ION CHROMATOGRAPHIC SYSTEM (IC)

Description

• Instrument : Dionex ICS-1100 Ion Chromatographic System with degas (Isocratic)
  
• Maximum Operating Pressure: 35MPa (5000psi)
  
• Flow Rate Range: 0.05-5.0 mL/min in 0.01 increments
  
• Flow Precision: <0.2%
  
• Flow Accuracy: <1.0% from 0.4 to 2.0mL/min at 1000-3000psi
  
• Resolution of conductivity detector: 0.1 nS
  
• Sample holders : 50 polyvials of 5mL size
  
• Air conditioned (21 to 24 degree C) ; Relative humidity is less than 60 % .
• Nitrogen with 99.99% purity, regulator (0-1 bar control).

Applications

Testing capabilities:

• Major cations like Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Ammonium can be identified and quantified.


• Major anions like Fluoride, Chloride, Nitrate, Phosphate and Sulphate can be identified and quantified.

Types of samples for analysis:

• Water Sample – Groundwater, Surface water, Rainwater, Packaged drinking water.

Sample Specification

• Water samples need to be filtered through a filter of pore size 0.20µm


• Conductivity of the water sample should be within 120µS.


• Conductivity should be lowered by dilution if the sample conductivity exceeds 120µS.

Limitations

• Waste water and chemically treated water/solution cannot be tested

X-RAY DIFFRACTROMETER (XRD)

Description

• Instrument : Rigaku Miniflex 600 (5th gen )


• X-ray generation – up to 40 kV & current(15 mA)
  
• Temperature range - near room temperature measurement with an up gradation of high temperature measurement
  
• Samples – Both bulk and thin films sample measurement.
  
• Filters – Nickel filter.
  
• Wide angle measurement (50-130 ) 2 theta value.
  

Applications

Testing capabilities:

• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of polycrystalline materials

Phase identification and quantification

• Percent (%) crystallinity


• Crystallite size and strain


• Lattice parameter calculation

Sample Specification

Types of samples for analysis:

• Powder: 0.5 grams


• Thin Films: Thickness 2mm, diameter 2 cm.


• Metals: Thickness 2mm, diameter 2 cm.

Limitations

• Liquid samples cannot be tested

NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY (NMR)

Description

• Make: Bruker Ascend 400 MHz
  

Testing capabilities:

• 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 31P NMR, DEPT & HSQC-GP.

Applications

• Organic samples

Sample Specification

• Solid / liquid samples should be soluble in DMSO/CDCl3/D2O (mainly organic compounds)

Quantity of Sample required

• Carbon NMR – 10 - 15mg


• Proton NMR - 5mg

Limitations

• Solid samples such as Metals cannot be tested

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE (SEM)

Description

• Instrument : EVO MA18 with Oxford EDS(X-act)


• Magnification: Minimum 1x and maximum 1,00,000x


• EDS : Liquid nitrogen free


• Sample holders :9 sample holders


• Depth of focus: At a magnification of 1000x, aperture size of 100 microns and working distance of 10 mm should be 40 microns


• Air conditioned (21 to 24 degree C) ; Relative humidity is less than 60 %.


• Nitrogen with 99.99% purity, regulator (0-3 bar control)  

Applications

Testing capabilities:

• Topographic imaging of materials .


• Measurement of thickness of the samples


• Identification of elements from carbon upwards using energy dispersive X-ray analysis


• Grain size measurement 

Types of samples for analysis:

• Non-Conductive samples
  
  
  
  • Biological Samples (like plant material, Bacteria, Tooth, wood etc.,)
  
  
  • Insulating Samples (like Glass, Ceramic, Plastic etc.)
  
  
  • Polymer/Membranes
  
  
  • Thin Film Samples
    
  
  
• Semi-Conductive samples
  • Silicone
    
  
  
• Conductive samples
  
  
  
  • Metals, alloys
  
  

Sample Specification

• Size : Diameter /height /thickness : 5- 6 mm


• Solid samples

Limitations

• Direct Powder sample cannot be analysed,Samples should be in pellet form.

UV-VIS-NIR-SPECTROPHOTOMETER

Description

• Instrument - Shimadzu UV-3600 UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer
  
• Wavelength range: 200 nm-3600nm.
  
• Temperature range: near room temperature.
  
• Desired resolution: less than 0.2nm.
  
• Mode of operation: Reflection, transmission, absorption
  

User information

Materials: liquid samples [transmission, absorption]
solid samples [reflection, transmission and absorption]

Applications

Testing capabilities:

Optical reflectance, transmittance, absorption of solution, thin films and thick films.

Sample Specification

• For transmmision and absorption:
  Substrate Min Height 2.5cm,Min Breadth 1cm


• For reflectance : Substrate Min Height 2.5cm,Min Breadth 2.5cm


• Liquid Samples: 10ml - 15ml.

NOTE:No reflection measurnment for liquid samples. user should bring their reference meterials.

Limitations

• Direct powder samples cannot be measured. Metal substrates can be used only for reflectance measurnment.

NIKON OPTICAL MICROSCOPE LV 100

Description

Resolution: Up to 500nm

Modes of operation:
o Transmission mode
o Reflection mode (for opaque samples)

Applications

All material which are in the thin film form on planar substrate.

o Micron size pore can be analysed.
o Biological samples like proteins, bacteria can be clearly seen

Sample Specification

• Sample should be on planar solid surface (Glass).


• Sample should be ‘dry’

Limitations

• Flexible, liquid and power samples less than 500nm cannot be examined.