Instrumentation

Computer lab with 15 workstations dedicated for chemistry student use in their courses and research. The computers have modeling, computational and data tools loaded.

300 MHz high field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer fitted with a broadband probe and variable temperature capabilities. This instrument is routinely used by students. All chemistry majors are trained on how to use the NMR and how to interpret the spectra in our NMR course, CHEM 323

Several gas chromatographers are available for student use in classroom work and research with a faculty member. Detectors include flame ionization and mass spectrometry.

Three Agilent 8453 diode array UV-visible spectrophotometers are extensively utilized in our analytical, CHEM 341 and 440, and biochemistry I & II, CHEM 434L and 435L, courses.

The Parr instruments adiabtic constant volume bomb calorimeter comes with a water handling system (Parr 1563) to maintain constant temperature in the adiabtic water bath. Students routinely use this instrument in physical chemistry (CHEM 363) to analyze the heat of combustion of various materials. The instrument is also available to properly trained researchers.

Agilent 1100 High Performance Liquid Chromatography instrument. The Agilent 1100 is a robust system configured with components including an autosampler, vacuum degasser, fraction collector and multiwavelength and fluorescent detectors . The Agilent binary pump provides high-pressure mixing and gradient generation. This instrument is used in our upper division laboratory courses in instrumental analysis, CHEM 440 and biochemistry, CHEM 435L as well as student research in our department. 

Edinburgh FS5 spectrofluorometer with UV-Vis working range and capabilities to run samples in solution or solid state at room temperature or 77 K. The spectrofluorometer is equipped with two auxiliary CW lasers centered at 975 and 880 nm and a Xe pulsed lamp to acquire excited state lifetimes and time-resolved spectra. All chemistry majors use this equipment in analytical chemistry and inorganic chemistry.

Biochemistry students utilize centrifugation extensively to separate biomolecules. We have a variety of centrifuges for this purpose. This includes a Beckman TL-100 Ultracentrifuge that can perform separations at greater than 100,000 x gravity, several benchtop microcentrifuges including two Eppendorf 5430 R refrigerated models

Nicolet iS10 can be used to identify solids or liquids through a diamond attenuated total reflectance sample holder. This instrument is routinely used by students in most upper division chemistry laboratory courses.

Students in biochemistry and research isolate proteins from microbial sources.  Our department has several growth chambers including the Innova 42 incubator shaker, Innova 4000 incubator shaker and a floor model New Brunswick series 25 incubator shaker. 

The Analytical Lab has various electrochemical equipment for voltammetry. The controlled growth mercury electrodes (CGME) are primarily used in trace metal research and by students in Instrumental Analysis, CHEM 441, and in undergraduate research. 

We have two Perkin-Elmer atomic absorption spectrophotometers with an autosampler for elemental analysis. Students use the instruments in several upper-division courses.  

The instrument is used for water research projects by students from various departments, as well as in our Instrumental Analysis, CHEM 441, course.

The ISO 8 clean room is primarily for chemical oceanographic research and the study of trace metals in the environment. Students use the facility under the supervision of Dr. Claire Till. This research also incorporates students participating in field work in coastal waters and estuaries.