Instrumentation

FT-IR absorbance

The FT/IR 4700 is a Mid-IR Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer (wavenumber range 7800 to 350 cm-1) with high resolution (0.4cm-1 and S/N over 35,000:1), making it ideal for transmission measurements of solid, liquid and gas samples. A real-time data processing function can be used to observe and verify the spectrum during measurements. The FT/IR 4700 can also be paired with the PIKE MIRacle™ Single Reflection ATR accessory with ZeSe crystal for high throughput attenuated total reflectance (ATR) measurements.

Specifications

• Light source: High-intensity ceramic source
• Wavenumber Range: 7,800 to 350 cm-1
• Wavenumber accuracy: ± 0.01 cm-1 (theoretical value)
• Maximum resolution: 0.4 cm-1
• Optical System: Single beam
• Sample chamber: Size: 200 mm (W) × 260 mm (D) × 185 mm (h) (can be nitrogen purged)

Portable Raman Microscopy (Metrom-IM52)

Specifications

• Equipped with 785 nm laser excitation wavelength
• Capable of small liquid volume measurement (60 µL) and solid sample (long-distance objective x 40) analysis
• Wide range of applications including functional group identification, mixture analysis, protein structure analysis, gene analysis and quantitative analysis

Handheld Raman spectrometer (Shanghai Oceanhood)

Specifications

• Equipped with 785 nm laser excitation wavelength
• Capable of liquid and solid sample analysis
• Applicable for on-site and in-field analysis

Raman optical activity (ROA. BioTools ChiralRAMAN)

Specifications

• Equipped with 532 nm laser excitation wavelength
• Capable of both Raman and ROA measurement
• Wide range of applications including functional group identification, protein analysis and chiral structure analysis

PANalytical MiniPal 4 EDXRF

Non-destructive elemental analysis from sodium to uranium can be undertaken using Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) using the compact, benchtop PANalytical MiniPal 4 system. Non-destructive automated reliable qualitative and quantitative analysis is available via Omnian software platform in concentrations from 100% down to ppm levels using PANalytical’s advanced Fundamental Parameters (FP) algorithm.

FVS-6000 Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectrometer

The FVS-6000 vibrational circular dichroism spectrometer measures both IR absorption and VCD, and provides accurate and highly sensitive measurement in the fingerprint region.  It also has several unique features such as a wide measurement range option of 4,000-750 cm-1. with a choice of detectors.

Since the VCD signals in the infrared region are typically one or more orders of magnitude lower than ECD signals in the UV-Visible region, high sensitivity and stability are especially important for a VCD spectrometer.

Jasco FP-8500

The FP-8500 is a spectrofluorometer for measurement of steady-state fluorescence and luminescence, emission and excitation, across a wavelength range of 200 to 750 nm. The FP-8500 has high resolution and standard automatic band-pass filters to obtain spectra without the artificial peaks due to second order diffracted light.

The FP-8500 is also fitted with shutters to protect samples when not being measured and rejection filters to minimise stray light. A Peltier temperature control unit is also available for temperature controlled measurements, making this instrument ideally suited for kinetics and thermodynamics based experiments.

Specifications

• Light Source: High intensity continuous output Xenon arc lamp
• Wavelength range: 200 to 750 nm
• Sensitivity: S/N 75,000:1 (RMS, water Raman)
• Scanning Speed: 10-60,000 nm/min

Jasco V-760

The V-760 is a double-beam UV-Visible spectrometer that measures light absorption, reflectance or transmittance in the visible to ultraviolet region (187-900 nm).  The extended photometric linearity of the V-760 (up to 6 AU) enables the measurement of highly absorbing samples which is particularly useful for materials with low transmission properties such as solid films. The V-760 is also fitted with a 6-position multi-cell changer and Peltier temperature control unit making it an ideal UV-vis instrument for kinetic and thermodynamic experiments.

Specifications

• Optical System: Czerny-Turner mount, double monochromator, fully symmetrical double beam
• Light Source: Halogen lamp, deuterium lamp
• Wavelength range: 187 to 900 nm (+/-0.1 nm at 656.1 nm)
• Photometric Range: -4-6 AU +/-0.3 %T
• Scanning Speed: 10-400 nm/min

Shimadzu 206-24000-92 UVmini-1240 UV/Visible Scanning Spectrophotometer

The Shimadzu 206-24000-92 UVmini-1240 single-beam spectrophotometer has a 190 to 1100nm wavelength range, a 5nm spectral bandwidth, and halogen and deuterium lighting, and is used to perform photometric analysis, spectrum measurements, and quantitation. The single-beam monochromator incorporates an aberration-correcting concave blazed holographic grating.

Cary Eclipse Fluorescence Spectrometer

The Agilent Cary Eclipse fluorescence spectrometer is sensitive, accurate, and flexible. Ideal for use as a routine spectrofluorometer, the Cary Eclipse can easily be switched between fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemiluminescence, and bioluminescence measurements. Additional flexibility can be achieved through various accessories, including temperature control and solid sample handling, automatic polarizers, and a microplate reader for high sample throughput.

Agilent Cary 8454 IV-visible Spectroscopy system

The Agilent Cary Diode Array Spectrophotometer 8454 measures a full spectrum, in as little as 0.1 seconds. The Cary 8454 has high throughput, low photometric noise, excellent wavelength accuracy and reproducibility, and excellent photometric stability. By monitoring the entire range, important data is retained for a more accurate analysis. The optical system of the spectrophotometer is a dual lamp set up consisting of a deuterium-discharge lamp for the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range, and a tungsten lamp for the visible and short wave near-infrared (SWNIR) wavelength range, from 190 to 1100nm.

Edinburgh FLS980 Spectrometer

The FLS980 combines ultimate sensitivity with high spectral resolution and excellent stray light rejection, setting the industry the standard for both steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and near-infrared spectral range. The modular construction enables the system to be readily configured to meet your individual research needs as well as be reconfigured as your research changes.

The FLS980 is supplied with computer-controlled, triple grating turret monochromators, with up to three different gratings permanently fitted. This allows a large spectral range to be covered while providing maximum ease of use.
Two detectors with independent exit slits can be mounted on a single emission monochromator (three on a double emission monochromator). Single photon counting PMTs are available to cover the wavelength range from 200 nm – 1700 nm, while analog detectors extend the wavelength range beyond 5000 nm.

Circular dichroism: Jasco J-1500

The J-1500 circular dichroism (CD) spectropolarimeter allows simultaneous measurement of 4 modes including CD, linear dichroism (LD), and absorbance. We have a range of accessories including long pass cut-off filters for excitation fluorescence spectroscopy, film stretchers for LD, Couette flow cells for LD, multiple -position thermostatted cuvette holder. Users are generally expected to provide their own quartz cuvettes.

Circular dichroism (CD) measures the difference in absorbance of left- and right-handed polarized light of chiral molecules, which is commonly used to analyse the conformation of macromolecules, particularly protein secondary structure.

Linear dichroism (LD) measures the difference in absorption of light linearly polarised parallel and perpendicular to the orientation axis. LD can be used to give information about the conformation and orientation of structures with orientated molecules such as DNA complexes, fibrous proteins such as (e.g. cytoskeleton and amyloid proteins) and membrane peptides/proteins in liposomes.

The J-1500 is a hybrid instrument consisting of a variable wavelength polarimeter for CD or LD and an absorption spectrophotometer (~180-900 nm, Far-UV to Vis range). The J-1500 is fitted with a 6-position multi-cell changer and Peltier temperature control unit.

This set-up is ideally suited to:

• Determine protein secondary structure and analyse conformational changes
• Nucleic acid structure determination and changes upon binding or melting
• Other thermodynamic parameters and kinetics based measurements.

It is used for routine solution state experiments on chiral molecules with a range of more sophisticated experiments possible including temperature controlled, kinetics, linear dichroism, fluorescence detected CD and LD.

Specifications

• Operates from 950 – 163 nm
• Light source : 150 W air-cooled Xenon lamp or 450 W water-cooled Xenon lamp (factory-installed option)
• Detector: Head-on photomultiplier tube PMT
• Optional photomultiplier tube PMT
• Optional InGaAs
• Modulator : Piezoelastic modulator
• Measurement wavelength range: 163 to 950 nm
• Wavelength accuracy: 0.1 nm from 163 to 250 nm
• 0.2 nm from 250 to 500 nm
• 0.5 nm from 500 to 800 nm
• Spectral bandwidth: 0.01 to 16 nm
• Slit width: 1 to 4000 μm
• Digital Integration Time (D.I.T.) : 0.1 msec to 30 sec.
• Scanning mode: Continuous scan
• Step scan
• Auto-response (D.I.T) scan
• Scanning speed: up to 10000 nm/min

Circular dichroism: Jasco J-810

Circular dichroism (CD) measures the difference in absorbance of left- and right-handed polarized light, which can be a powerful tool for the identification and characterisation of chiral molecules. The J-810 is a hybrid instrument consisting of a variable wavelength polarimeter and absorption spectrophotometer (~180-900 nm, Far-UV to Vis range).

Our J-810 is also fitted with an Optical Rotation Dispersion (ORD) module and Peltier temperature control unit making it ideally suited to measure optical purity/identification of small molecules and natural products chemistry.

Specifications

• Light source: 150 W Xenon arc lamp (air cooled)
• Wavelength range: ~180 to ~900 nm (standard)
• Four Channel Simultaneous Data Acquisition: Input channels: 2 internal plus 2 external signals can be acquired simultaneously
• ORDM-401 unit fitted

Malvern Zetasizer Nano SP

The Malvern Zetasizer Nano is a light scattering system suitable for characterisation of colloid dispersions, nanoparticles and macromolecules such as polymer and protein solutions (3.8 nm to 100 μm, concentration ~0.1ppm to 40%w/v, pH 1-13, sample dependent).  Three different light scattering measurements can be performed:

• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) – is used to measure the diffusion of particles under Brownian motion, and convert this to a size distribution using the Stokes-Einstein relationship. Non-invasive back-scatter (NIBS) technology is incorporated to give better sensitivity and the ability to measure particles at high concentration.
• Electrophoretic Light scattering (ELS) – is used to measure zeta potential. An electric field is applied to the sample and mixed mode measurement, phase analysis light scattering (M3-PALS) is used to measure electrophoretic mobility and determine a zeta potential distribution
• Static Light Scattering (SLS) – is used to determine the molecular weight (> ~1KDa) of proteins and polymers. The scattering intensity at a range of concentrations is measured to construct a Debye plot. From this, the weight-average molecular weight and second virial coefficient can be calculated to provide a measure of protein solubility.

Specifications

• Measurement range: 3.8nm – 100 microns diameter (sample dependent)
• Measurement principle: Electrophoretic Light Scattering
• Minimum sample volume: 150µL (20µL using diffusion barrier method)
• Accuracy: 0.12µm.cm/V.s for aqueous systems using NIST SRM1980 standard reference material
• Sensitivity: ~0.1-10mg/mL (BSA/Lysozyme)
• Temperature control range: 0°C - 90°C +/-0.1
• Light source: He-Ne laser 633nm, Max 4mW

Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZS

The Zetasizer Nano ZS is a high performance two angle particle, zeta-potential, and molecular size analyzer for the enhanced detection of aggregates and small particles.

Samples may be measured at very low or high concentration using dynamic light scattering with ‘NIBS’ optics. Size may be measured in the range of 0.3nm to 10um. Zeta-potential may be measured in the range of 3.8nm to 100um.

The flow mode option enables the system to be connected to an SEC or an FFF system to use as a detector for the size of proteins or nanoparticles.

The MPT-2 Autotitrator allows the study of the effect of changes in pH, conductivity, or any additive to be automated.  A range of disposable and reusable cells are available to optimize the measurement in terms of sample volume, concentration and flow measurement.

Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (Nanosight-NS300)

• Equipped with 456 nm and 532 laser wavelength
• Capable of automated analysis of size distribution and concentration of nanoparticles in high resolution, and fluorescence imaging of nanoparticles
• Wide range of applications including extracellular vesicles, viruses and vaccines, drug delivery and biotherapeutics.

Bruker AVIIIHD 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer

The Avance 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, with the SampleXpress 60 Holder Autosampler and Iconnmr automation software, is the workhorse of the NMR facility. Samples are conveniently submitted and queued for analysis.

Used for routine solution state 1D and 2D experiments on small molecules.

Specifications

• 5mm BBFO SmartProbe™ (19F/31P-109Ag)
• Actively-shielded high performance Z-gradient
• 19F{1H} and 2D 1H/19F correlation spectroscopy
• Operating temperature range: -150°C to +150°C
• Ascend 400 MHz (9.4 T) Magnet
• Drift rate < 4.0 Hz/hr
• BCUII (Bruker Chiller Unit)
• Accessible temperatures ≥ 200 K
• SampleXpress 60 Holder Autosampler

Bruker AVIIIHD 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer

The Avance 500 MHz NMR spectrometer is set up to run variable temperature experiments (-70°C to 100°C) routinely. Very low temperature experiments (-70°C to -150°C) can also be run with use of the liquid nitrogen evaporator and staff assistance. It is highly sensitive for carbon detection, thus it is often utilized to acquire data for the complete characterization of small to medium sized organic molecules.

Used for variable temperature solution state experiments, characterization experiments.

Specifications

• 5mm BBFO SmartProbe™ (19F/31P-109Ag
• Actively-shielded high performance Z-gradient
• 19F{1H} and 2D 1H/19F correlation spectroscopy
• Operating temperature range: -150°C to +150°C
• Ascend 500 MHz (11.7 T) Magnet
• Drift rate < 5.0 Hz/hr
• Magnet leg upgrade to damp vibrations above 3.8 Hz
• BCUII (Bruker Chiller Unit)
• Accessible temperatures ≥ 200 K
• SampleCase 24 Holder Autosampler

Bruker AVII 600 MHz NMR Spectrometer

The AVII 600 MHz NMR spectrometer is equipped with cryoprobe and is utilized for experiments where the upmost of sensitivity is required, such as protein studies and natural product characterisations.

Used for characterisation of natural products, protein NMR structure determination. Variable temperature work is not permitted.

Specifications

• 5 mm TXI Cryoprobe with Z-gradient (1H/13C/15N/2H observe)
• 3 high power channel operation
• SampleXpress Lite 16 Holder Autosampler
• BCU05 (Bruker Chiller Unit)