We have facilities for synthesis of materials, including wet chemical synthesis, hydrothermal reactor, and high temperature furnaces. We have equipment to process materials and fabricate membranes and functional devices inlcuding batteries.   We have access to equipment shared in department analytical lab for characterisation of structure and properties of functional materials. We also have access to the analytical equipment in other departments within the college, and facilities in other universities in the UK. 

Fume hoods for organic and polymer synthesis (to be set up soon)

We have two glovebox system for assembly and testing of batteries in argon gas atmosphere, and for organic synthesis in moisture and oxygen-free conditions. 

Temperature programmed ovens for materials synthesis and processing.

High temperature tube furnace.

Location: Lab 121

Centrifuge for materials processing.

Freeze-dryer for processing of polymers and porous materials. 

Gel permeation chromatography in department analytical lab, for characterisation of molecualr weights of polymers. 

FT-IR analyser for materials characterisation. Analytical lab. 

TGA with controlled gas atmosphere for thermal analysis, thermochemical reaction analysis, available in Prof. Paul Fennell's lab. 

TGA-MS for thermal analysis

Helium pycnometer for measuring density of porous materials. 

DMA analyser for mechanical properties and studying glass transition temperature of polymers. Analytical lab. 

Micromeritics gas sorption analyser Tristar, for characterisation analysis of porous materials. 

Location: Analytical lab.

Micromeritics gas sorption analyser for porous materials characterisation, including surface area, pore size distribution, pore volume, gas sorption capacity, etc. 

Location: Analytical Lab.

IGA gas and vapour sorption analyser

Gas chromatography (GC) for gas composition analysis. 

HPLC for chemical analysis.

Spin-coater for fabrication of polymer thin films, membranes, functional coatings, and devices. 

Bench scale blade coater for thin film coating and membrane fabrication. 

Laboratory scale coating equipment for membrane coating, continuously, at m2 scale.  Available in Prof. A.G. Livingston lab. 

Home-made gas separation facilities for testing gas transport properties of polymer membranes. We have single gas permeation rig, mixed gas permeation rig, and home-made dual cell high pressure gas sorption measurement rig. 

Applications: study gas transport properties of polymer films and membranes. Adsorption of gas in porous materials.

Fixed bed and fluidised bed reactors available in Prof. P. Fennell's lab, for gas adsorption, reactions, catalysis, and sample processing, operation at atmospheric pressure and high pressure.

Hydraulic crimping machine for coin-cell battery assembly and disassembly. 

Battery testing system for battery charging-discharging performance test.