Characterization
Existing facilities for membrane characterization at the center include: capillary flow porometer, BET, thermogravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter, dynamic mechanical analysis, liquid entry pressure, contact angle goniometer, particle size analyzer, zeta potential analyzer, and FTIR.
| Instrument | Description |
|---|---|
| Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) | DSC and TGA are analytical techniques used to observe changes in a sample with temperature. |
| Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) | DMA is a characterization tool used most commonly to study the viscoelastic behavior of polymeric materials. As membranes are predominantly polymeric, DMA helps analyze their mechanical behavior with respect to temperature and time. |
| Particle Size Analysis | Our lab is equipped with a laser diffraction particle size analyzer with the ability to determine the size and distribution of particles for both wet and dry dispersions. Measurements can be made over nanometer to millimeter particle size ranges. |
| Zeta Sizer | The zeta sizer is used to measure particle size from less than a nanometer to several microns using dynamic light scattering. It also allows measurement of electrophoretic mobility. |
| Potentiostat/Galvanostat | Our high end, high current potentiostat/galvanostat has a bandwidth of 1 MHz and is used for electrochemical studies. This includes studying the electrochemical properties of membranes, and/or investigating electrically enhanced separation, fouling detection and/or control. |
| Drop Shape Analyzer | The drop shape analyzer can be used to analyze wetting and adhesion behavior on solid surfaces with temperature control. This includes contact angle measurement, free surface energy measurement and more. |
| Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) | FTIR generates an infrared absorption spectrum of a solid or liquid sample over a wide spectral range. |
| Capillary Flow Porometer | The pore size distribution is essential to determining rejection rates for porous membranes. Capillary flow porometry measures the pore size distribution of the through pores in membranes and other 2D materials. A wetting liquid is displaced from the sample pores by a gas at increasing pressure. |
| Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) | Atomic force microscopy is a high-resolution microscopy technique relying on the interactions between a probe and the material surface. |
| Micromanipulator | A micromanipulator allows us to physically interact with a sample under a microscope. |
| Liquid Entry Pressure (LEP) tester | The Convergence Liquid Entry Pressure tester is a characterization tool that measures the minimum pressure at which wetting of the sample occurs. This is particularly useful in characterizing membranes for membrane distillation (MD) where wetting is undesirable. |
| UHPLC (Thermo) | The Thermo Scientific UHPLC (Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography) system is an analytical instrument used for the separation, identification, and quantification of chemical compounds in complex mixtures. It operates at high pressures to achieve faster run times and improved resolution compared to traditional HPLC, making it widely used in pharmaceutical, environmental, and materials research. |
| GC-MS-MS (TSQ 9000) | The Thermo Scientific TSQ 9000 GC-MS/MS is a high-sensitivity gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry system used for the detection, identification, and quantification of trace-level compounds. It is widely applied in environmental analysis, food safety, forensic studies, and chemical research, offering excellent selectivity, accuracy, and reproducibility for complex sample matrices. |
| Agilent 1260 GPC | The Agilent 1260 GPC system is an analytical instrument used to determine the molecular weight distribution of polymers. It separates polymer chains based on their size in solution, enabling characterization of polymer structure, quality control, and research in materials science and polymer chemistry. |
| iCE3500 AAS-Thermo Scientific | The Thermo Scientific iCE 3500 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) is an analytical instrument used for the quantitative determination of metal elements in liquid samples. It measures the absorption of light by free atoms, providing accurate and sensitive analysis for trace metal detection in environmental, chemical, and materials research applications. |
| Hach DR 6000 Spectrophotometer | The Hach DR 6000 is a high-precision UV-Vis spectrophotometer used for water quality analysis and laboratory testing. It measures the absorbance of light across a wide wavelength range to determine the concentration of various chemical and biological parameters in water, making it widely used in environmental monitoring, wastewater analysis, and research laboratories. |
| InnoVox TOC Analyzer | The InnoVox TOC (Total Organic Carbon) Analyzer is a laboratory instrument used to measure the total amount of organic carbon present in water and liquid samples. It is widely applied in environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical, and water quality analysis to assess organic contamination levels and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. |
| Surpass-3 (Anton-Paar) | The Anton Paar SurPASS 3 is a solid surface zeta potential analyzer used to measure electrokinetic properties of flat materials, membranes, and powders. It provides insights into surface charge behavior in different electrolyte solutions, making it valuable for research in materials science, membrane technology, and colloid chemistry. |
| LEP (Demcon/Convergence) | The LEP (Liquid Entry Pressure) testing system by Demcon/Convergence is used to determine the minimum pressure required for a liquid to penetrate a porous membrane. It is commonly applied in membrane research and development to evaluate membrane hydrophobicity, pore integrity, and suitability for applications such as membrane distillation and filtration. |
| IC-6000 Ion Chromatography System | The IC-6000 Ion Chromatography System is an analytical instrument used for the separation and quantification of ionic species in liquid samples. It is widely applied in environmental monitoring, water quality analysis, and industrial research to measure anions and cations with high sensitivity and accuracy. |
| UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (3100UV-VWR) | The VWR 3100UV UV-Visible Spectrophotometer is an analytical instrument used to measure the absorbance and transmittance of light in the ultraviolet and visible range. It is commonly used for quantitative and qualitative analysis of chemical compounds in solutions, supporting applications in water quality testing, biochemical research, and material studies. |
| Bruker Multimode AFM | The Bruker Multimode AFM is a high-resolution scanning probe microscope used to characterize surface topography and nanoscale properties of materials. It provides detailed imaging and measurements of surface roughness, mechanical properties, and interactions at the nanometer scale, making it widely used in materials science, nanotechnology, and polymer research. |
| Rheometer-MCR-72 | The Anton Paar MCR 72 Rheometer is a precision instrument used to measure the rheological properties of liquids, suspensions, gels, and soft solids. It evaluates parameters such as viscosity, elasticity, and flow behavior under controlled conditions, supporting research and development in materials science, polymers, coatings, and process engineering. |
| Inverse Gas Chromatography (iGC) | Inverse Gas Chromatography is an analytical technique used to characterize the surface and thermodynamic properties of solid materials. It measures how probe molecules interact with a material’s surface, providing information on surface energy, polarity, adsorption behavior, and compatibility, and is widely used in materials science, polymers, and powder technology research. |
| Linseis LSR-1 | The Linseis LSR-1 is a laboratory instrument used to measure the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of materials. It is widely applied in thermoelectric research to evaluate a material’s ability to convert temperature differences into electrical voltage, supporting studies in energy harvesting and advanced functional materials. |
| IKA IV10C Rotary Evaporator | The IKA RV 10 Rotary Evaporator is a laboratory instrument used for efficient and gentle removal of solvents from samples by evaporation under reduced pressure. It is widely used in chemical, pharmaceutical, and materials research for concentration, purification, and solvent recovery processes. |
| MF-MBR System (Demcon /Convergence) | The MF–MBR (Microfiltration Membrane Bioreactor) system is a pilot-scale wastewater treatment unit that combines biological treatment with microfiltration membrane separation. It is used to remove suspended solids, organic matter, and microorganisms, enabling high-quality effluent production and supporting research in advanced wastewater treatment and membrane bioreactor processes. |
| UF -Hydra Benchtop pilot system (Demcon /Convergence) | The Ultra Filtration Hydra Benchtop Pilot System is a laboratory-scale ultrafiltration unit used to evaluate membrane performance under controlled conditions. It enables study of separation efficiency, permeability, and fouling behavior for water and wastewater treatment applications, supporting process development and membrane research. |
| Forward Osmosis System- Benchtop (Demcon /Convergence) | The Benchtop Forward Osmosis system by Demcon / Convergence is a laboratory-scale platform used to study water transport across semi-permeable membranes driven by osmotic pressure differences. It is used for evaluating membrane performance, solute rejection, flux behavior, and process optimization in applications such as desalination, wastewater treatment, and resource recovery. |
| Membrane Distillation system _MD (Demcon /Convergence) | The Membrane Distillation (MD) system by Demcon / Convergence is a pilot-scale thermal membrane process unit used for separation of water from dissolved salts and non-volatile compounds. It operates using a temperature-driven vapor transport mechanism across a hydrophobic membrane, making it suitable for research in desalination, wastewater treatment, and high-salinity water processing. |
| NF-RO system (Demcon /Convergence) | The NF–RO (Nanofiltration–Reverse Osmosis) system by Demcon / Convergence is a pilot-scale water treatment setup used to study and optimize membrane separation processes. It enables evaluation of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis performance for removing salts, organic compounds, and contaminants, supporting research in desalination, water reuse, and advanced purification technologies. |
| UFR -Hydra (Demcon /Convergence) | The UFR Hydra Ultrafiltration Rate pilot system is a membrane testing and process development platform used to evaluate ultrafiltration performance under controlled operating conditions. It is designed to measure flux, fouling behavior, and separation efficiency of membranes, supporting research and scale-up studies in water treatment, desalination, and advanced filtration processes. |
| Hach Turbidity Meter | The Hach Turbidity Meter is an analytical instrument used to measure the clarity of water by detecting suspended particles that scatter light. It is widely used in drinking water treatment, wastewater analysis, and environmental monitoring to assess water quality and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. |
| Thermo Scientific pH & Conductivity meter | The Thermo Scientific pH & Conductivity Meter is a laboratory instrument used to measure the acidity/alkalinity (pH) and ionic conductivity of liquid samples. It is widely applied in environmental monitoring, water quality analysis, and chemical research to assess solution properties, purity, and ionic content. |
In addition, our lab is equipped with state-of-the-art analytical chemistry tools, which include:
| Instrument |
|---|
| Dual-channel Ion Chromatography |
| High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) |
| Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) |
| Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) |
| Agilent 1260 GPC Gel Permeation Chromatography System (GPC) |
The following equipment are available for lab-scale testing:
| Instrument |
|---|
| Mini MD pilot |
| Mini RO pilot |
| Mini UF pilot |
Measurement of ultrafiltration rate/ diffusion coefficient |
| Mini MF pilot |
| Crossflow filtration unit (NF/RO) |
| Forward osmosis filtration rig |