Apex 396 Peptide Synthesizer

Model: Aapptec Apex 396
Description: Due to the significance of peptide in our research we recently equipped our laboratory with an automated peptide synthesizer. The Apex peptide synthesizer range provides an easy to use automated liquid handling system capable of both liquid and solid phase peptide synthesis and organic synthesis reactions. This instrument is ideal for producing peptide and protein fragments, epitope mapping and peptide parallel libraries. Synthesis scales range from 15 mg up to 2 grams. Up to 96 compounds can be synthesized simultaneously within the Teflon reaction blocks, which are also available in 40-well, 16-well and 8-well formats for easy synthesis scale-up.

RT-PCR

Model: Stratagene Mx3005P
Description: In addition to all features of a regular RT-PCR instrument, the Mx3005P System features include five color detection, the ability to individually select filters for FRET chemistry applications, and primer/probe design software. The Mx3005P instrument combines precision thermal cycling with a broad wavelength range optical system and sophisticated analysis software to deliver a superior real-time quantitative PCR detection system.

Specifications:

• Excitation: five-position filter wheel and quartz tungsten- halogen source lamp
  
• Detector: five-position filter wheel and single photo multiplier tube
  
• Filters: Customizable filter wheels with five user- selected filter sets
  
• Thermal System: solid state, Peltier-based, 96-well block thermal system

Cell Culture Facilities

Description: This laboratory is mainly for any in vitro biological studies in our group, especially for drug/gene delivery projects. The major facilities in this laboratory are list in the following.

• Class II biological safety cabinet
• Ultra low temp. freezer (-86°C)
• General purpose refrigerator and freezer
• Cryobiological storage system
• CO2 water-jacketed incubator
• Isotemp water bath
• General purpose centrifuge
• Tabletop autoclave
• Inverted optical microscope /w digital camera
• Milli-Q water purification system
• pH meter kit with a microelectrode

HPLC

Model: Waters- 2489 Dual detector
Description: This HPLC is equiped with a 2489 UV/Visible Detector which is a versatile, dual-wavelength absorbance detector. This detector offers the high sensitivity required for routine UV-based applications to low-level impurity identification and quantitative analysis. It is currently being used for peptide purification in our lab.

Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis-Profile (ADSA-P)

Description: ADSA-P is a novel technique to determine liquid-fluid interfacial tensions and contact angles from the shape of axisymmetric menisci (i.e., from sessile as well as pendant drops).

This instrument can measure surface tension of liquids, contact angle, line tension, film tension, permeability, and wetting dynamics.

Our ADSA-P setup is a home made facility. It can capture up to 30 images per second. Its temperature controller allows experiments to be performed from -15°C to +200°C with an accuracy of ±0.1°C.

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Model: Molecular Imaging[MODEL]
Description: AFM is a high-resolution imaging technique that can visualize features as small as an atomic lattice in the real space. It has become one of the most widely used approaches in the characterization of the adsorption, orientation and general morphology of the molecules at interfaces. The ability of AFM to image a wide variety of samples under different conditions at or near atomic resolution has created a great deal of interest in applying it to study biological structures, such as peptides, proteins, DNA and living cells. In addition to surface imaging, it is also one of the foremost tools for the manipulation of matter at the nanoscale.

Our AFM from Molecular Imaging (MI) can use magnetic AC mode (MAC mode), acoustic AC (AAC mode), pulsed force mode (PFM) and contact mode for surface imaging. It also has an electrochemical SPM option (EC SPM), temperature control, and environment control chamber.

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

Model: Ultrospec 4300 Pro
Description: UV-Vis spectroscopy plays an important role in analytical chemistry and has widespread application in chemistry, physics and life sciences.

Applications include:

• Wavelength scanning
• Enzyme Kinetics
• Quantification
• Multi-wavelength and fraction analysis

Dyamic Light Scattering (DLS)

Model: Malvern -Zetasizer
Description: DLS is powerful technique to monitor a number of aspects of the nanoparticles including particle size, zeta potential and molecular weight. Our Malvern instrument is capable of measuring particles and molecules from a maximum size range 0.3nm to 10 microns using NIBS technology and Dynamic Light Scattering. The minimum sample requirement for the measurement is 60 µl.

Flourescence Spectroscopy

Model: QuantaMaster QM-4SE/2005
Description: Applications for this device include:

• Millisecond kinetics
• DNA binding
• Intracellular ion concentrations (Ca++, PH, etc.)
• Phosphorescence
• Membrane potential
• FRET
• Polarization/Anisotropy
• Stopped Flow
• Chemi- and bioluminescence

XRD

Model: D8 DISCOVER DIFFRACTOMETER SYSTEM

Description:X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is a high-tech, non-destructive technique for analyzing a wide range of materials, including fluids, metals, minerals, polymers, catalysts, plastics, pharmaceuticals, thin-film coatings, ceramics, solar cells and semiconductors.
Applications:

• qualitative and quantitative phase analysis
• crystallography
• structure and relaxation determination
• texture and residual stress investigations

Specification:

• smallest step size (Theta/2Theta): 0.0001°
• reproducibility (Theta/2Theta): +-0.0001°
• maximum slew speed: 1500°/min (Theta/2Theta, without accessories)
• angular positioning: stepper motors with optical encoders
• central opening of Theta ring: diameter 10 cm
• angular range (Theta): unlimited (dependent on accessories)
• angular range (2Theta): -110° to 168° (depending on accessories)

TGA/DSC

Model: SDT Q600 Simultaneous
Description: The Q600 provides a true simultaneous measurement of weight change (TGA) and true differential heat flow (DSC) on the same sample from ambient to 1,500 °C. It features a field-proven horizontal dual beam design with automatic beam growth compensation, and the ability to analyze two TGA samples simultaneously. DSC heat flow data is dynamically normalized using the instantaneous sample weight at any given temperature.
Application?

• Measure both heat flow and weight changes (TGA) in a material as a function of temperature or time in a controlled atmosphere
• The complementary information obtained allows differentiation between endothermic and exothermic events

Surface Area Analyzer

Model: Accelerated Surface Area and Porosimetry System 2020
Description:Micromeritics’ ASAP 2020 Accelerated Surface Area and Porosimetry Analyzer uses the gas sorption technique to generate high-quality data for research and quality control applications. Data obtained by an ASAP 2020 analyzer are used to achieve efficiency, safety, quality, and profitability in any modern materials-oriented work, and can be used by scientists with confidence and assurance.
Application:

• characterize the active and support surfaces of catalysts
• determine the high surface areas of adsorbents
• determine the microporosity and hydrogen storage capacity of various nano materials
• materials with low surface areas such as powdered metals, glass fibers, and natural organic materials can also be analyzed
• analyze tableted products, surface area being directly related to dissolution rate

Battery Testing System

Model: BT2000
Description: Arbin Instruments' BT2000 is a multiple independant-channel testing system. Each channel operates independently of the others enabling users to run tests on multiple batteries at the same time. Each channel in the BT2000 is a true potentiostat and galvanostat with charging and/or discharging capability. BT2000 can handle both rechargeable and primary battery applications.

Application:

• Electrochemical research & development
• Half cell testing and material research
• Primary & secondary battery testing
• Lead , Lithium & alkaline battery cycling

Specification:

• 32 chanels
• 0V to 5V, ±2 mV
• 0A to 5A (5A±2mA; 0.1A±40uA; 0.001A±400nA)

Dual Zone Furnace

Model: Dual Zones Quartz Tube Furnace

Application:

• conduct syntheses and purifications of inorganic compounds and occasionally in organic synthesis
• thermolysis reactions, involving either organic or inorganic reactants

Specification:

• Furnace casing: Double layer steel casing with air cooling. Built in thermostat to control Cooling running automatically when case > 55oC
• Power: 2.5 KW
• Heating Element: Fe-Cr-Al Alloy doped by Mo
• Max. Temperature: 1200 oC
• Continuous Temperature: 1100 oC
• Max. Heating Rate:  <= 20 oC /min
• Tube Size and Materials: Quartz tube: OD: 80mm x ID: 75 mm x Length: 1000 mm
• Constant temperature zone    150  (+/-1oC)

Electrochemical station

Model: CHI 760

Description: CHI 760 electrochemical workstation is computerized general purpose potentiostat / bipotentiostats / galvanostat. A typical application involves a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE), but this system can also be used for other applications where dual channel measurements are essential, such as dual channel electrochemical detection. The system contains a fast digital function generator, a high speed data acquisition circuitry, a potentiostat / biotentiostat and a galvanostat (not available to certain models).
Application:

• Investigate electrochemical mechanism
• Quantitative, qualitative analysis
• Electrosynthesize various functional materials
• Evaluate the electrochemical properties of batteries

Multipotentiostat/ Galavaostat

Model: VMP3, BioLogic Sci.

Description: VMP3 is a research-grade multi-channel potentiostat with over 45 electrochemical techniques, variety of analysis and modeling tools. Among the techniques available with VMP3, there are very powerful electrochemical methods such as AC impedance spectroscopy measurements, battery charge-discharge and cyclic voltametry.

Ball Mill

Model: Planetary mill PULVERISETTE 5 classic line

Application:
For the finest rapid, batch-wise comminution of hard to soft grinding material, dry or in suspension, down to colloidal fineness. For mixing and perfect homogenising of emulsions and pastes.

Specification:

• Grinding tools:  Grinding bowls (250 ml) and grinding balls (10 mm)
• Materials of the grinding tools: silicon nitride
• Main disc speed: 50-400 rpm
• Gear ratio: I relative = 1 : -2.19
• Max. feed size: (depends on material) 10 mm
• Min. sample quantity: 10 ml
• Max. sample quantity: 900 ml
• Final fineness: < 1 µm

Clean Chamber

Model:MBRAUN LABmaster SP/DP Glove Box workstation

Description:The LABmaster is a ready to operate modular workstation that includes a large main antechamber, vacuum pump and Siemens color PLC controller. The LABmaster offers automatic regenerable oxygen and moisture purifier units with single or double columns. The LABmaster attains purity levels of less than one part per million oxygen and moisture and includes integrated with high vacuum feedthroughs and a stainless steel encapsulated blower MB-BL-01 with frequency converter.
Application:

• the batteries can be produced in the glovebox without any contamination with water
• offer complete integration within the glovebox for various types of analysis instruments
• storage sensitive materials
• provides a safer option to distilling solvents either into a glovebox or into collection flasks outside of the glovebox