Our labs at the Loyola Campus are equipped for the full path from synthesis to spectroscopy. Group members also have access to the shared instrumentation of Concordia’s Centre for NanoScience Research (CeNSR).
Synthesis
CEM microwave reactor
Automated microwave synthesis with capacity for scale-up; our main route to carbon dots and catalysts.
Hydrothermal reactors
Sealed autoclave reactors for solvothermal and hydrothermal synthesis of nanomaterials.
Freeze dryer (lyophilizer)
Gentle drying of nanoparticle dispersions and biomass-derived materials.
Centrifuges
Thermo Scientific benchtop centrifuges for separating and purifying nanoparticles.
Optical spectroscopy
UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectrophotometer
Agilent Cary 5000 for absorption from the ultraviolet to the near infrared.
Fluorescence spectrophotometer
Agilent Cary Eclipse for steady-state excitation and emission spectra.
Fluorescence lifetime
EasyLife fluorescence-lifetime system for time-resolved emission.
Laser-excited emission spectroscopy
Optical tables with laser excitation and fibre-coupled collection for photoluminescence and upconversion studies.
CCD spectrometer
Andor iDus detector for sensitive emission measurements.
Portable Raman
Cora 5000 portable Raman spectrometer.
Materials characterization
ATR-FTIR spectrometer
Thermo Scientific Nicolet iS5 with ATR for surface chemistry and functional-group analysis.
Dynamic light scattering and zeta potential
Malvern Zetasizer for particle size distributions and surface charge in solution.
Inside the lab
