Facilities

Our Facilities

The following summarizes our core capabilities that encompass a full range of techniques for materials discovery and for technology demonstration.

Environmentally Controlled Synthesis Facility for Molecular Grafting and Functionalization of Nano-sized Materials and Micro-Structured Catalysts. The requested facility consists of a sample treatment station, which comprises of a muffle furnace, pumps, gas delivery system, electronic process controllers, and material preparation tools (balance, drying oven, etc.). These capabilities will enable a full range of synthesis methods for nanostructuured materials and the fabrication of microchemical reactors.

Multifunctional Kinetics, Isotopic Tracer and Transient Analysis Package. This package is a highly versatile system ideal for deciphering complex reaction networks because of its fast sampling, low void volume, and wide operating pressure and temperature ranges. The package enables researchers to capture chemical reaction dynamics in either batch, continuous, or pulse modes and to titrate the number of active sites precisely.

In-situ Infrared Spectroscopic Suite. The in-situ infrared spectroscopic suite is used to probe surface species and their reactivity on working catalysts at industrially relevant conditions. Specifically, diffuse reflectance infrared measurements would be carried out on materials mounted on a catalytic reactor flow cell that mimics the hydrodynamics of plug flow reactors and operates over wide temperature and pressure ranges. The reaction chamber would be interfaced with a versatile gas dosing system, which enables the treatment of samples in ultra-high vacuum and exposing them to gas-phase reagents for kinetic studies.

“Chemical-Plant-on-a-Chip” Microchemical Reactor Assessment Suite. The microchemical reactor demonstration unit is used for evaluation of microstructured catalysts at short contact times and for demonstration of the technology. The system is equipped with process controllers, a furnace, liquid injection system, vaporizer, miscellaneous fittings and tubings, back pressure controllers, and appropriate safety devices.

Analytical Capabilities. Our analytical capabilities include a gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization and thermal conductivity detectors, gas chromatography mass selective detectors, and residual gas analyzer.

Other Facilities

In addition to the core facilities above, we have access to the following facilities: