·        BET Surface Area and Pore Volume Measurement Instrument, Gemini 2375, Micrometrics

·        FTIR-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, Analysis of nanopowders and nanofilms

·        HPLC-High Performance Liquid Chromatography, HP 1100 with diode array detector

·        Humidity Controlled Microbalance Facility (Precision weighing of samples, conditioned to a specific humidity level)

·        ICP-MS Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometer-Routine elemental analysis, Agilent 7500 ce

·        TOC-Total Organic Carbon Analyzer, Shimadzu TOC-500

·        GC-Gas Chromatographs with TCD, FID-HP5890 Series

·        SEM-Scanning Electron Microscope, Hitachi model s-4500 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, a NORAN Instruments Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis system, a back scatter detector and mechanical straining stage.

·        AFM and MFM

ICP (now upgraded to ICP-MS)

·        Lower interelement interference due to higher temperature used

·        A good spectra for most elements under single set of excitation conditions

·        Permit the determination of low concentrations of elements such as boron, phosphorous, tungsten, uranium, zirconium and niobium that tend to form refractory compounds

·        Permits determination of non-metals such as chlorine, bromine, iodine and sulfur

·        Analyte atomization is more complete and occurs in an chemically inert environment which tends to prevent oxide formation

·        Ionization interference effects are small or nonexistent

·        Yields better quantitative results than other emission sources as a result of high stability, low noise, low background and freedom from interferences and matrix effects

The Instrument Detection Limits (IDL) are only estimates.  The method detection limits(MDL) are sample dependent and may vary as the sample matrix varies.

                        Table of IDL, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  Method 6010B

Revision 2, Dec 1996.

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BET

Such properties as pore size, shape, and chemically active sites that control the reactivity of solids can be evaluated through gas-solid interactions since the structure and reactivity of solid materials determine how their surfaces will interact with gas molecules. 

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HPLC

High Performance Liquid Chromatography is an analytical separations technique uses a liquid phase at high pressure to carry the sample through a column.  As the sample moves through the column the components are separated based on molecular weight, charge or size depending on the mobile/stationary phases that are used.

Other characteristics include

·        Efficient

·        Accurate quantitative determinations

·        Highly selective

·        High sensitivity

·        Only small amount of sample is needed

·        May be nondestructive to sample

·        Generally applicable to inorganic ions

·        Able to separate nonvolatile species as well as thermally fragile ones

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GC

As in other chromatographic methods the sample components in a mixture are separated via mobile and stationary phases.  In gas chromatography (GC) the mobile phase is a gas that does not interact with the analyte.  The sample is injected into a heated port and rapidly vaporized.  The vaporized sample is then carried through the heated columns by the gaseous mobile phase.

GC is ideal for

·        quantifying complex mixtures of organic, metal-organic and biochemical systems

·        for determining the purity of organic compounds

·        for determining the purity gases such N₂, O₂, Ar, CO₂ and CO. 

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