Facilities
The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering has seen substantial strategic investment in building new state-of-the-art research laboratories for synthetic chemistry and catalysis research, with accommodation for over 50 researchers.
An on-going £4 million investment in research and teaching laboratory space (scheduled for completion in 2023) will significantly modernise and further extend our facilities, with recently added open-access equipment including an environmental SEM facility, powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction equipment, a high-end confocal Raman microscope, and 400 & 600 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers.
Further open-access Departmental facilities include three additional NMR spectrometers, three mass spectrometers, and additional powder XRD, ICP-OES, BET and Hg porosimetry equipment, a CD spectrometer and a HPLC/GC chromatography, as well as standard spectrometer and computational facilities. Further information in relation to a selection of the equipment which is available to research staff within the School is available on this page.
An in-house team provides analytical services to internal and external stakeholders using their dedicated instrument suite. 15 technicians provide support for microanalysis, glass-blowing, mechanical engineering, electronics, computer management and laboratory safety.
OUR KEY FACILITIES
Below, you'll find out more about our key facilities, equipment, and instrumentation, which is leveraged to carry our our leading research in the chemical sciences.
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Technique |
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) |
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Instrument |
FEI Quanta FEG - Environmental SEM |
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Location |
OB.410 |
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Contact |
Prof S. Bell (ext 4470) |
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| Capabilities | FEI Quanta FEG - Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope. Capable of running in High and Low Vacuum as well as an environmental mode it has ETD and BSED fitted as standard. Spluttering facilities are provided enabling Carbon and Gold Splutter coating. The SEM can also be fitted with a heated stage and has the capability of undertaking STEM. | |
| Access | Bookable online after suitable training, available through ASEP. | |
| Technique | X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) |
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| Instrument | Panalytical | |
| Location | OB.410 | |
| Contact | Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
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Capabilities |
Standard run angle – 5 – 85 degrees. Lower angles possible. Variable step size and time on step. Variable voltage. | |
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Access |
Bookable online after suitable training, available through ASEP. |
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Technique |
Electron Impact Time Of Flight Mass Spectrometer (EI-TOF) |
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Instrument |
Waters |
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Location |
LG.007 |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) |
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| Capabilities | Standard Electron Impact Time Of Flight system – typical mass range 50-1000 amu. Fitted with a probe injection system. | |
| Access | This facility is offered as a service via ASEP. | |
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Technique |
Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) |
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Instrument |
Micromeritics Tristar 3020 |
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Location |
LG.007 |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) |
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| Capabilities | An automated gas adsorption analyser, surface areas as low as 0.01 m2/g can be measured. Typically using nitrogen as the adsorption gas. Separate pre analysis prep system. | |
| Access |
This facility is offered as a service via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Circular Dichroism (CD) |
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Instrument |
Jasco J-815 |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Standard instrument set up including -10 to 100 oC peltier variable temperature cooler. Also has a 90o fluorescence detector. | |
| Access |
Open access via ASEP – training required before use. |
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Technique |
Electrospray Time Of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) |
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Instrument |
Waters LCT Premier |
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Location |
LG.007 |
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Contact |
Conor McGrann (ext 4676) Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) |
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| Capabilities | Standard electrospray Time Of Flight system typical mass range 50 – 1750 amu. Fitted with Nanomate sample introduction. | |
| Access |
This facility is offered as a service via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Solid-state NMR |
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Instrument |
500 MHz Bruker Avance Neo |
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Location |
0G.402 |
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Contact |
Rudra N. Purusottam (ext 4435) |
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Capabilities |
1.3 mm Bruker HXY MAS probe (maximum MAS frequency 67 kHz) 4mm Bruker H-F/X/Y DVT probe with options for 1H, 2H, 11B, 13C, 15N,19F, 23Na, 27Al, 29Si &,31P, etc.(maximum MAS frequency 15kHz) 4mm HRMAS iProbe (maximum MAS frequency 15 kHz) |
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Access |
Restricted access via NMR Facility Manager – training required before use |
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Technique |
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) |
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Instrument |
Bruker 300MHz (x2) |
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Location |
0G.413 |
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Contact |
Rudra N. Purusottam (ext 4435) Conor McGrann (ext 4676) |
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| Capabilities | Standard 300MHz NMR with options for 1H, 13C, 19F & 31P | |
| Access |
Open access via NMR technicians – training required before use. |
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Technique |
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) |
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Instrument |
Bruker 400MHz (x2) |
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Location |
0G.414 |
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Contact |
Rudra N. Purusottam (ext 4435) Conor McGrann (ext 4676) |
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| Capabilities | Standard 400MHz NMR – Variable temperature option. Automated tune and match multi nuclei probe. | |
| Access |
Bookable via NMR technicians – training required before use. |
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Technique |
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) |
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Instrument |
Bruker 600MHz |
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Location |
0G.414 |
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Contact |
Rudra N. Purusottam (ext 4435) Conor McGrann (ext 4676) |
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| Capabilities | Standard 600MHz instrument. Variable temperature. Multi-nuclei probe. | |
| Access |
Operated as a service instrument via NMR technicians. |
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Technique |
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) |
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Instrument |
Perkin Elmer Analyst 100 |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Standard Atomic Adsorption system capable of Na, K, Ca, Mg analysis by emission. Al, Ca, Mg, Pb lamps available for analysis by adsorption. | |
| Access |
Usually offered as a service, but users may be trained if they have a large number of analysis to undertake. |
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Technique |
Elemental Analysis (CHNS) |
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Instrument |
Perkin Elmer PE2400CHNS |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Designed primarily to analyse samples capable of combustion @ 975oC using ~2mg sample the instrument may be used in either CHN or CHNS modes. Options include the ability to control the amount of O2 added before and after sample drop, and during the dynamic combustion phase. The static combustion times are also variable. Although designed primarily for solid samples, liquids may be accommodated through the use of sealable combustion capsules. | |
| Access |
This facility is offered as a service via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) |
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Instrument |
Mettler Toledo DSC 1 Star system |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Standard system with autosampler. | |
| Access |
Offered as a service through ASEP. Possible to be trained to run multiple samples – you will be required to provide your own sample pans. |
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Technique |
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) |
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Instrument |
Mettler Toledo DSC / TGA 1 Star |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities |
Standard system with autosampler. |
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| Access |
Offered as a service through ASEP. Possible to be trained to run multiple samples – you will be required to provide your own sample pans. |
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Technique |
Fourier Transform Infra red (FTIR) |
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Instrument |
Perkin Elmer Spectrum 1 & Spectrum 2 |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Spectrum 1: CsI beam splitter - 4000 – 200 cm-1 Spectrum 2: KBr beam splitter - 4000 – 400 cm-1 Std KBr disks – Disk press available – Liquid film option available. |
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| Access |
Open access via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Ultra Violet Visible Spectrometer |
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Instrument |
Perkin Elmer Lambda 800, Lambda 25 and Lambda 3B |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Lambda 800 and lambda 25 – scanning instruments - 800 – 200 nm Lambda 3B – non scanning Long path cell holders available (40mm cells) |
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| Access |
Open access via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Luminescence spectrometry |
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Instrument |
PerkinElmer LS 55 Fluorescence spectrometer |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Standard system. Cooling cell available. | |
| Access |
Open access via ASEP. |
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Technique |
Polarimeter |
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Instrument |
Perkin Elmer PE 341 |
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Location |
ASEP (01.133) |
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Contact |
Darren Baskerville (ext 5595) | |
| Capabilities | Hg and Na lamps. Variable temperature option.Multiple cell options available: 1 ml – 10 cm path length (micro cell) 5 ml – 10 cm path length (std cell) 1 ml – 1 cm path length (short path cell) Flow through cell |
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| Access |
Open access via ASEP. |
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OUR RESEARCH
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