Analytical
There are 5 dedicated analytical laboratories located within the HEMS Research Hub.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratories 1 and 2, with two benchtop SEM/EDX instruments and a floor standing SU-70 SEM with EDS/WDS.
- Instrumentation Laboratories 1 and 2, with a mix of spectroscopic, thermal analysis and chromatographic equipment.
- X-Ray Equipment Laboratory, with a benchtop XRD and a hand held XRF.
Spectroscopy is one of the most common analytical techniques used for qualitative and quantitative analysis with rapid analysis times and a high degree of specificity. Our suite included Infra-Red, Raman and UV spectroscopy.
Chromatography is the gold standard for the pharmaceutical industry. Depending on the volatility of a material we can use liquid, gas, ion or hyphenated chromatography to characterise any unknown material. Preparative chromatography can also be used to purify chemical batches for the pharma sector.
Microscopy is one of the most useful tools for measuring and characterising surfaces and materials. Light microscopy has been existence over 200 years as a key component of scientific endeavour. Using electron microscopy we can accurately image samples below 1um and determine their elemental in parallel with x-ray analysis. Atomic force microscopy is regularly used within the semi-conductor industry for mapping and characterising micro-electronic components.
Hitachi TM4000 Benchtop SEM with EDX
Optika Metallurgical Microscope
Inverted Fluorescence Microscope Olympus CKX53
The thermal analysis suite measures the changes of phase or density of materials in the presence of heat flow.
Our EPA licenced X-Ray suite is a highly in-demand suite used to determine the elemental and crystalline nature of materials within a wide range of industrial sectors.