Lakehead University Material Characterization Services (LUMCS) and Lakehead University Instrumentation Laboratory

Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
What the facility does

Materials characterization services and research including metal production, pulp bleaching, fuel cell development,  environmental analysis, aqueous silicon chemistry and silicates and computational chemistry and the development of green technologies.

Areas of expertise

Our research interests span the areas of electrochemistry, silicon chemistry, computational chemistry, and materials science. We provide comprehensive chemical consulting services, specializing in chemical analysis and materials characterization, fabrication of nanostructured materials, electrochemical and optical property measurements, quantum chemical assessment of molecular properties, molecular design, high-quality molecular graphics, and aqueous silicon/silicate chemistry advances in cement and concrete research.

Our research laboratory is well-equipped, with advanced instruments including atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, total organic carbon analyzer, BET surface area analyzer, TGA/DSC, several electrochemical workstations, a pure water system, and facilities for the synthesis of nanomaterials. In addition, we have access to a wide range of analytical equipment located at the Lakehead University Instrumentation Laboratory (LUIL). The LUIL is a multi-purpose, centralized facility that serves researchers and students from three faculties, providing access to the fundamental tools they need for modern research and training. The laboratory houses more than $2 million worth of research equipment, including nuclear magnetic spectrometers, electron microscopes, and spectrometers.

Research services

Metal production, pulp bleaching, fuel cell development, water purification, environmental analysis, development of green technologies, cement and concrete research, quantum chemical assessment of molecular properties, molecular design. 

Sectors of application
  • Chemical industries
  • Clean technology
  • Energy (renewable and fossil)
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Mining, minerals and metals

Specialized lab

Equipment

Chemistry Lab

Atomic Force Microscopy

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Infrared Spectroscopy

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer

BET Surface Area Analyzer

Several Electrochemical Workstations

Pure Water System

Facilities for the Synthesis of Nanomaterials



Lakehead University Instrumental Laboratory (LUIL)

Spectrometers

NMR: Varian Unity Inova 500

XRD: Pananalytical Xpert Pro Diffractometer

FTIR: Bruker Tensor 37 with Hyperion 2000 IR Microscope

SPECS: Cary5e UV-VIS-NIR, Cary 50



Analyzers

ICP-AES: Varian Vista Pro Radial

ICP-MS: Perkin-Elmer Elan DRC-e

CHNS [Cl] Elementar vario EL

Chromatographs

GC-MS: Varian 450GC - 300 MS/MS

IC: Dionex ICS-1100

HPLC: Waters Alliance

LC-MS: Dionex U3000/Bruker amaZon X 



Research Microscopes

SEM/EDS: Hitachi Su-70 Schotty Field Emission SEM

CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE: Olympus FV300

PHOTO MICROSCOPES: Leica MS5, Zeiss Ultraphot, Inverted Microscope: Olympus IX51 (DIC,FL, Phase)



Particle Size Characterization

CAD Zeta Phoremeter

EPA5002 Mastersizer 2000 partize size analyzer with Hydro 2000MU



Misc

Freeze Dryer: Labconco Freezone 12 

Data Server: Dell 1500

  • HS Pharmaceuticals LLC
  • LLR-G5 Ltd
  • Alfa Aesar
  • Arenito Minerals & Chemicals Inc.
  • Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd.
  • Geological Survey of Canada
  • Latin American Minerals Inc.
  • LTS Research Laboratories Inc.
  • Rare Earth Metals inc.
  • True Grit Consulting Ltd.

Title

URL

Aicheng Chen, PhD, FRSC(UK), FISE

https://www.lakeheadu.ca/users/C/achen/

Nanotechnology: The Science of the Infinitesimally Small

http://agora.lakeheadu.ca/agora.php?st=31 

Biographies (interviews and content provided by Erin Collins)

https://www.lakeheadu.ca/academics/graduate/student-experiences/biographies?page=2

Aicheng Chen Wins Prestigious Chemistry Award

http://agora.lakeheadu.ca/agora.php?st=300

Nanoporous Pt-Ru Networks and Their Electrocatalytical Properties

By Kallum Koczkur, Qingfeng Yi, and Aicheng Chen

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.200602730/pdf

Zenyatta Ventures: Research at Lakehead University Shows Significant Progress in the Production of Graphene from Albany Graphite- Aicheng Chen

http://www.zenyatta.ca/article/press-release-1409.asp