TINI Imaging & Characterization Facility

The TINI Imaging & Characterization Facility (ICF) houses the Microscopy Laboratory and the Organic Analysis Laboratory. 

TINI Organic Lab

The TINI Organic Analysis Laboratory is located in room 633 of the Lindy Boggs Building. The instruments in this laboratory are used to analyze, identify, and describe a wide variety of environmental, biological, and synthetic samples. TINI personnel are available to operate the instruments and assist with methods development.

NMR Spectroscopy

  • Bruker 500 MHz NMR
  • 5mm BBO probe with z-gradient
  • 5mm BBI probe with z-gradient
  • 5mm Bruker TXI (Inverse Triple Resonance ) probe (1H, 13C and 15N) with xyz-gradients

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

  • Shimadzu QP2010 GC/MS
  • Capillary Column GC
  • Split/Splitless Injector
  • Liquid Autosampler

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS)

  • Finnigan Element 2
  • Measurement of Ultra-trace Levels of Metals
  • High Resolution
  • Isotope ratio experiments
  • Liquid Autosampler

Carbon Analyzer

  • Fisons EA112 Elemental Analyzer
  • Simultaneous Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Analysis
  • Autosampler

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Spectrometer

  • Biacore T200 GE Healthcare
  • Investigate molecular interactions such as kinetics and thermodynamics
  • Protein-protein, protein-DNA, protein-ligand, small molecule-biomolecule
  • Liquid Autosampler with temperature control
TINI Microscopy Lab

The Microscopy Laboratory is located in Percival Stern Hall, suite 3001-3 and 1032. TINI staff members are available to assist users with morphological analysis of both biological and material science samples. They are also available to operate the instrumentation and to consult with researchers. This lab houses a number of common pieces of sample preparation equipment, including an ultramicrotome, a heavy-metal sputter coater, and a carbon-sublimator. Several electron microscopes are equipped with cryo-stages.

TEM and SEM images

 

Transmission Electron Microscopy

FEI Tecnai G2 F30 TWIN

The Tecnai G2 F30 TWIN is a 300 kV / FEG Transmission Electron Microscope. It is a high-resolution microscope optimized for complete and versatile performance with high-tilt applications such as diffraction experiments and tomography for a cross-disciplinary laboratory such as a joint Materials Science/Life Science establishment. The relatively large pole-piece gap allows for a variety of stages and detectors to be fitted in this instrument. With its FEG source, fine probe techniques (such as STEM with an HAADF detector) can be performed with ease.

  • TEM Point Resolution: 0.24 nm
  • TEM Line Resolution: 0.144 nm
  • Information Limit: 0.15 nm

The Tecnai G2 TEM's are equipped with Gatan cryogenic TEM system with FEI low dose capability, the most advanced SDD EDS system, FEI's total solution for 3D imaging, FEI Eagle 4k high sensitivity CCD camera and the Windows XP operating system. In the unique Tecnai concept, all microscope components, like the electron gun, the optical elements, the vacuum system and the stage, are completely digitally controlled. The task-oriented user interface allows users to automatically recall all optimized operating conditions including lens settings, gun parameters, optical alignments, aperture alignments (optional) for all the different techniques such as TEM, STEM, CBED, Diffraction and Analysis.

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A variable pressure Hitachi 3400 electron microscope was installed in 2005.

  • Tungsten filament, 0.1kV~30kV
  • SEM Resolution: 3.0 nm@30KV
  • VP-SEM Resolution: 4.0 nm@30kV; Max pressure: 270 Pa
  • SE +BSE (solid state, simultaneous TV rate observation)
  • 10 inch specimen chamber
  • Auto alignment; easy operation
  • Analysis: EDS, WDS with mapping capability

In 2005, TINI installed a Hitachi 4800 High-resolution SEM.

  • 1.0nm resolution at 15kV
  • completely motorized stage
  • interfaced to an EDS
  • Gatan Cryo capabilities

Confocal Microscopy

Confocal microscopy utilizes lasers and advanced optics to produce very high quality images of specimens. The technique collects only light for a specified plane and removes interfering light. The image can be collected in the x-y and the z dimensions. Specimens are often labeled with a fluorophore. TINI installed a Nikon A1 confocal microscope in Stern 3003 in November 2013.

This microscope has the following features:

  • 4x, 10x, and 20x oil-free objectives.
  • 40x, 60x and 100x oil objectives.
  • Fully automated stage with variety of holders.
  • Includes 6 lasers, 405, 443, 488, 514, 561 and 640nm.
  • 4 detectors – 2 are GaSP.
  • Transmitted light source and detector
  • Incubator for live cell imaging.