Department of Chemistry

FACILITIES 

 

The department is well-equipped to carry out state-of-the-art research with facilities such as an NMR centre (300 and 400 MHz instruments), a gas chromatograph-coupled mass spectrometer, atomic absorption spectrometers, mid-IR spectrometers, Fourier Transform IR interferometer, UV-visible spectrometers, X-ray generators and single crystal diffractometers (serial and CD detectors), spectropolarimeter and workstations for both thermal and electrochemical analysis.

 RESEARCH SERVICES AVAILABLE

NMR Centre

Equipment: Varian Mercury 300 and Varian Unity 400

Use: Records spectra of magnetically active nuclei for structure elucidation of molecular structures.

Contact:

Pete Roberts

Tel: 650 2537

E-mail: Peter.Roberts@uct.ac.za

 

 Bruker Advance III 400 NMR with Ultra
 Shield 400 Plus magnet

E-maill: Graham.Jackson@uct.ac.za

 


 
 
 
Infra Red

Equipment: FT IR Spectrophotometer

Use: The equipment is used to record infra-red spectra on a wide range of samples.

 
Contact:

 

 

Dr. Gregory Smith

Tel: 650  5279

E-mail: Gregory.Smith@uct.ac.za

 


 
Bioanalytical & Vaccine Research Unit

Equipment: Biochromatograph equipped with autosampler

Use: Chromatography platform, main use for analysis of carbohydrates by use of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Column depends on nature of analyte (CarboPac20M and PA1 (monosaccharides), MA1 (alditols) PA10 (oligosaccharides), PA100 and PA200 (oligo, polysaccharides). Can also perform anion analysis (using conductivity detector) on IonPacAS11 column.

Contact:

 

 

Dr Neil Ravenscroft

Tel: 650 2546

E-mail: Neil.Ravenscroft@uct.ac.za

 


Microanalysis

Equipment: Elemental Analyser CHNS-O Thermo

Use: Equipment for accurate determination of elemental composition of samples.

Contact:

 

 

Piero Benincasa

Tel: 650 4547

E-mail: Gianpiero.Benincasa@uct.ac.za


Mass Spectrometer

JEOL JMS-GCMS-GCMAT II GCMS SYSTEM

 

Contact:

 

 

Piero Benincasa

Tel: 650 4547

E-mail: Gianpiero.Benincasa@uct.ac.za


 
Scientific Glass Blowing

This service is available for the greater university. Services include design, manufacturing and repair of a wide range of scientific glassware for research and teaching.

Contact:

 

 

Andre De Jager

Tel: 650 2565

E-mail: Andre.DeJager@uct.ac.za

 


Thermal Station

Thermal Analysis

Equipment: Mettler Toledo TGA/SDTA

Use: The instrument measures the mass of a sample as it varies with a controlled temperature programme. Software is available to generate both the TGA and the SDTA traces (Mettler).

Equipment: Perkin Elmer Thermal Analysis System 

Use:  The TG instrument measures the mass of a sample as it varies with a controlled temperature programme. The DSC instrument measures the difference in enthalpy between a sample and a reference as it varies with a controlled temperature programme.

Contact:

 

 

Prof Caira

Tel: 650 3071

E-mail: Mino.Caira@uct.ac.za

 


XRD

Equipment: Huber Imaging Plate Guinier Camera 670

Use: A compound in the form of a powder is exposed to an X-ray beam. The angular positions and the intensites of the diffracted beams are recorded, producing a characteristic pattern.

Contact:

 

 

Prof Caira

Tel: 650 3071

E-mail: Mino.Caira@uct.ac.za


Single Crystal XRD

Equipment: Nonius Kappa CCD diffractometer

Use: A single crystal is exposed to a beam of X-rays and the intensities diffracted by the crystal are accurately measured. Subsequent processing of the data and computation leads to determination of the molecular and crystal structure of the material.

Contact:

 

 

Dr Hong Su

Tel: 650 2570

E-mail: Hong.Su@uct.ac.za


Single Crystal XRD

Bruker Kappa Apex II DUO
CCD diffractometer

Use: A single crystal is exposed to a beam of X-rays and the intensities diffracted by the crystal are accurately measured. Subsequent processing of the data and computation leads to determination of the molecular and crystal structure of the material.


 
Contact:

 

 

Dr Hong Su

Tel: 650 2570

E-mail: Hong.Su@uct.ac.za


 
 
 
 
 

 © Department of Chemistry

Last updated: Jan 2012