Equipment
The Limburg Lab hosts a range of spectroscopic and nanoparticle characterization equipment. If you are interested in using any of the equipment for your project, please contact Bart to discuss possibilities.
Edinburgh Instruments LP-980 Nanosecond Transient Absorption Spectrometer
The spectrometer allows the study of electronic excited states on the nanosecond time-scale. Perfect for the study of triplet excited states, charge transfer states, and following reactivity by energy or electron transfer. The equipment is fitted with a ICCD camera for spectral measurements (visible range) as well as PMT and photodiode detectors for kinetic measurements in the visible and near-infrared ranges, respectively. The pump excitation pulse is performed using an Amplitude Surelite II-10 and Horizon OPO allowing pumping at 355 nm, or 400-1500 nm. The samplechamber is thermostated, allowing for precise temperature control of the sample from -40 °C to 105 °C.
Edinburgh Instruments FS-5 Fluorimeter and TCSPC
The fluorimeter allows the study of excited-state emission both in the steady state (excitation using a Xenon lamp with monochromator), and time-resolved (excitation using picosecond diode lasers). The sensitive PMT detector allows measuring the emission from the UV up to ~870 nm. The TCSPC detector mode allows for measuring lifetimes from 100 picoseconds up to the ms time scale. Currently the excitation lasers available are 405 nm and 450 nm. The samplechamber is thermostated, allowing for precise temperature control of the sample from -40 °C to 105 °C.
Agilent Cary 60 UV-vis spectrophotometer
Versatile spectrophotometer to rapidly measure UV-vis spectra, and follow kinetics. Equiped with a custom LED irradiation source, this equipment allows to follow the kinetics of UV-vis reactions. In addition, the equipment is fitted with a Peltier to precisely control the temperature. A fiber-optic add-on allows measuring samples with a probe to measure in whichever container, not limiting the user to cuvettes.
Microtrac Nanotrac Flex & Stabino Zeta
The Nanotrac Flex is a probe-based dynamic light scattering (DLS) apparatus that allows for the determination of average size of particles in the range of 1 nm to 10 µm. Due to the fiber-optic probe, volumes down to a few µL can be measured. The Stabino Zeta allows for measurement of the particle ζ-potential avoiding the usually employed electrophoretic method, therefore preventing problems with highly conductive samples, or samples with redox-active components. In addition, the equipment contains an autotitrator to reach isoelectric or pH neutral points. The equipment measures 5 values at the same time: the conductivity, zeta potential, streaming potential, temperature and pH. The two apparatus can be combined by inserting the DLS-probe in the Stabino Zeta. This allows the measurement of 6 properties, the aforementioned 5 plus the average size of the particles.
Custom photoreactor
This photoreactor contains 8 positions for photochemical reactions. The reactor is externally thermostated to the desired temperature, and the light-intensity of the LEDs can be varied by a current-controlled power supply. The reactor allows for the modular changing of LEDs, therefore allowing for tuning to the desired irradiation wavelength. Currently, the available wavelength is 450 nm.