Major Analytical Instrumentation Facility at COE – AMGT

Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) provides ultra-high-resolution imaging at low accelerating voltages and small working distances. The Gemini 300 SEM provides resolution of the images as low as 2 nm at 15 kV, allowing examination of the top surface of nanopowders, nanofilm and nanofibers in wide range of applications such as mineralogy, ceramics, polymer, metallurgy, electronic devices, chemistry, physics and life sciences.

Essential Specification & Features:

• Maximum acceleration voltage: 30kV
• Apertures range: 10 to 300 microns
• Magnification range: 20x to 300000x
• Specimen height: 30mm at 10 mm W.D
• Gold coating for non-conducting materials (4-7 nm thick)
• Colour elemental mapping

Detectors:

• InLens & ESB detector (topographic information)
• BSD4 and SE2 detector (materials composition contrast)
• Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) coupled with FE-SEM is used to determine the chemical composition of micro-features from Boron (B) to Uranium (U).

Characterization Request Form

X-ray diffraction analysis is a fast, non-destructive and environmentally friendly analysis method with very high accuracy and reproducibility. X-ray diffraction facility offers high quality diffraction data for both powder and thin film specimens including Inorganic materials, ceramics, metals, intermetallic, minerals, and composites. This facility focuses on:

• Phase identification
• Purity/quality control of materials
• Determination of crystallinity
• Lattice parameter determination
• Gracing Incidence

Essential Specification:

Max power: 3KW, Target – Cu, Minimum step size – 0.001˚
Detector: Scintillation counter, Goniometer max range: upto 120 ˚
Attachment: STD, Thin-film, SAXS (powder & liquid)

GCMS instrument is used to obtain information for the identification, quantification, and resolution of a compound synthesized. GCMS systems are currently used in a wide variety of fields like food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, environmental and others.

Essential Specification:

Sample Injector: Auto injector & manual injector for liquid samples and gas samples. For solid samples, direct injection mode available (DI).

Composition accuracy : +/- 0.5%
Detectors: FID, TCD and MS.
Carrier gas: Helium Gas

Characterization Request Form

Thermal studies are used to study the thermal properties of the materials as a function of temperature, while the materials are subjected to a controlled temperature and atmospheric condition. TGA studies are includes, Thermogravimetry analyses (TGA) – change in weight and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) -temperature difference. This technique is widely used for polymers, organics, inorganics, metals, alloys, glass, and ceramics materials.

Essential Specification:

Simultaneous TG-DTA measurements
Temperature range: Room Temperature to 1100°C
Purge gas: Nitrogen, Pan: Alumina

DSC thermal studies are used to study the thermal properties of the materials. Here, heat flow is measured as a function of temperature, while the materials are subjected to a controlled temperature and atmospheric condition. This technique is widely used for polymers, organics, inorganics, metals, alloys, glass, and ceramics materials.

Essential Specification:

• Temperature range: -80°C to 400°C,
• Maximum rate of heating 30°C/min
• Purge gas: Nitrogen, Pan: Aluminum
• Capable of measurements including Glass transition temperature, Melting point, Specific heat measurement, Degree of cystallinity and Reaction kinetics.

Thermal studies are used to study the thermal properties of the materials as a function of temperature, while the materials are subjected to a controlled temperature and atmospheric condition. TGA studies are includes, Thermogravimetry analyses (TGA) – change in weight and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) -temperature difference.

This technique is widely used for polymers, organics, inorganics, metals, alloys, glass, and ceramics materials.

The JASCO V-750 UV-visible spectrophotometer has an integrating sphere attachment which can be used for diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Band gaps of materials may be determined through the diffuse reflectance spectra and Tauc plots.

Essential Specification:

Wavelength Range: 170 nm to 1100nm
Resolution: 0.1 nm.
Samples required: 20 mg.
Solvent must be specified for solution studies.

The infrared spectrum originates from the vibrational motion of the molecule. The interference pattern obtained from a two-beam interferometer as the path difference between the two beams is altered, when Fourier transformed, gives rise to the spectrum. The transformation of the interferogram into spectrum is carried out mathematically with a dedicated on-line computer. Infrared spectrum is useful in identifying the functional groups like -OH, -CN, -CO, -CH, -NH2, etc.

Essential Specification:

Wave number range: 4000 to 400 cm -1.
Resolution: 0.4 cm -1.DTGS detector, IR library
Mode: KBr mode and ATR mode
Samples required: 10 mg Powder, Thin Film (5mm min), Solid (thickness less than 5mm)