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, or call Dr Shi on: 9351 7484 who will be happy to answer your questions.