Analytical Testing

The school has extensive analytical laboratory facilities with very advanced equipment. These facilities are supported by skilled staff with proven experience covering a wide range of work in product and process development, trouble-shooting and environmental technology.

Analytical Capabilities include:

Elemental Analysis: Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry; Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (flame, furnace & vapour generation for detection to low ppb.); Total inorganic carbon and carbon analyser; Carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen analyser.
Inorganic and Organic Anionic and Cationic Speciation and Quantification: Ion-chromatography - Merck speciation spectrophotometer (biochemical and environmental work)
High Performance Liquid Chromatography: Bio-purification and quantification analysis; General assaying of bio-fermenter products (capable of scale-up to give purified product)
Spectrophometric Analysis: The school has 3 machines, the most recent Cary 50 has sophisticated software with biochemical and bioprocess applications
Thermal Analysis Facility: Differential scanning calorimeter (natural products, polymers; Thermogravametric analysis (inorganic and organic analysis including fingerprinting of unknown polymers; Dynamic mechanical analyser (characterising polymers and composites).
Particle Characterisation: 3 machines-
Malvern 26 00: range 1800 - 1 micron
Malvern mastersizer: range 800 - 0.05 micron
Malvern zetasizer: range 3 micron - 3 nanometers
Gas Chromatography: Thermal conductivity (flue gases - gas mixtures); Flame ionization (electroncapture chromatograph for analysis of organic liquids to ppm level).
Viscosity Meter - Rheology: 2 viscometer units for monitoring shear rate, shear stress and viscosity, over a temperature range of 5-95 deg.C.
X-ray Diffractometer: One XRD unit for phase analysis of organic and inorganic crystalline compounds and a university shared facility with advanced phase identification software.

To discuss your analytical testing requirements, please contact our Laboratory Manager, who will be happy to answer your questions.