Materials Characterization Facility
Primary Location: on the UCSD Main Campus, in Pacific Hall, room 4140
The MRSEC-MCF is a user and service facility associated with the NSF-funded UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, dedicated to materials characterization, assays, and sample processing.
Facility Manager: Ricardo De Luna
We ask that any publications or presentations acknowledge use of these MRSEC-supported facilities with the following statement:
“The authors acknowledge the use of facilities and instrumentation supported by NSF through the UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UCSD MRSEC), grant # DMR-2011924”
Access to the equipment in the facility runs under three modalities:
(1) samples can be submitted for analysis by the facility staff (Consultation-non-training fee is applied in addition to instrument usage fee)
(2) user trainees can run samples under the guidance of facility staff (Consultation-Training fee is applied in addition to instrument usage fee)
(3) trained users can sign up for the instrument and run their own samples (instrument usage fee only).
For modality (1), samples from third parties are received and returned under a material transfer agreement (contact the Facility Manager). For modality (3), users must first be trained and checked out on an instrument by the facility staff (modality 2). Thus there is an additional charge if a staff member is involved in either running of samples or training of a user. Alternatively, the UC San Diego MRSEC RIMSE program held each summer provides an immersive introduction and training on most of the available instrumentation in this facility. Additional facilities in support of materials fabrication and characterization (and nanotechnology in particular) are available in UCSD's San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI).
Click here to RESERVE AN INSTRUMENT OR A TRAINING ACTIVITY
The following equipment is available on a recharge basis:
(new rates effective March 2021; Instrument rates are for usage only)
Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
Malvern Instruments™ Zetasizer Nano™ for determination of nanoparticle size and charge. Features Multi Purpose Titrator for zeta potential measurements.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $25 // non-UC Users: $36.25
Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Static Light Scattering (SLS) Plate Reader
Wyatt Instruments DynaPro® Plate Reader III measures DLS and SLS in a plate reader format, allowing rapid measurement of nanoparticle size in up to 386 samples (volume 25-uL) in a single run. Measurement temperature range can be adjusted from 4 °C to 85 °C. Measures average nanoparticle size and number density, aggregate size distributions, changes in solution molecular weight, and propensity for aggregation: indicators of both thermal stability (Tonset, Tm, Tagg) and colloidal stability (A2/B22, kD) can be quantified. Viscosity of concentrated protein solutions can also be screened. It is complementary to our Malvern™ Zetasizer Nano™ for determination of nanoparticle size, but unlike the Zetasizer Nano™ it does not measure nanoparticle charge (zeta potential).
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $25 // non-UC Users: $36.25
Four-point conductivity probe
Keithley™ DMM 7510 multimeter, pneumatically actuated probe station, and micrometer thickness gauge for wafer resistivity measurements.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $10 // non-UC Users: $14.50
Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
Shimadsu™ LC-2050 GPC with Wyatt Instruments™ MALS light scattering, OptiLab differential refractive index detectors. Columns for aqueous media (for protein separations), or organic media (for polymer characterization) available.
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $40 // non-UC Users: $58.00
Infrared Spectrometers (FTIR)
Nicolet™ iS50 and 6700 Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers, fitted with Smart-iTR™ diamond Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) attachments for ATR measurements; instruments can also be configured for transmission mode measurements, with a variety of gas, liquid, and solid sample cells available. Liquid nitrogen-cooled MCT-A detector; spectral range 600-11,7000 wavenumbers. The iS50 also has a DLaTGS detector and Ge-on-KBr beamsplitter; spectral range 350-7,800 wavenumbers.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $30 // non-UC Users: $43.50
Photoluminescence - Absolute Quantum Yield Spectrometer
Hamamatsu™ Quantaurus-QY™ C11347 Measures absolute photoluminescence quantum yields from thin film, solid, powder, and liquid samples in the emission wavelength range 400 nm to 1100 nm. Excitation wavelengths cover the range 375-850nm, with resolution = 2.5nm. Can also acquire excitation-emission matrix EEM spectra.
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Photoluminescence - Steady-State
Thermoelectrically cooled CCD spectrometers (Ocean Optics™ QE65™ and QEPro™) covering the range 250-1050nm, with resolution = 0.4nm. Excitation sources include various blue (405, 450, 480nm) and UV (365, 370, 385nm) diodes (for PL) and broadband deuterium-halogen continuous source (for absorbance or spectral reflectance measurements). The detection optics can be focused to < 1mm spot size. Various sample holders can accommodate liquid, solid, and thin film samples.
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Photoluminescence - Time-Resolved and Time-Gated
Pulsed Optical Parametric Oscillator (Opotech, inc. Opolette 355LD) laser excitation source (tunable wavelength range 410 to 2200 nm), Horiba DeltaDiode 375nm picosecond laser excitation source, or Oxxius LBX-405nm laser excitation source. Detection with thermoelectrically cooled ANDOR iSTAR 334T intensified CCD (iCCD)camera for time-gated photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements at a temporal resolution of 8 nanoseconds, covering the spectral emission range 400-850nm, with a resolution of 1nm. Can be configured for time-gated imaging. Other detectors include Thorlabs APD430x adjustable gain avalanche photodiodes, sensitive from 400-1000 nm with ~5 ns time resolution (400 MHz bandwidth).Various sample holders can accommodate liquid, solid, and thin film samples.
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $30 // non-UC Users: $43.50
Plate Reader: Fluorescence, Luminescence, and Absorbance
Molecular Devices™ SpectraMax® iD5 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader measures absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence. The iD5 also measures TRF and FP.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM)
Biolin Scientific™ QSense Explorer™ for real-time analysis of surface-molecule interactions, thickness (or mass), viscosity, shear modulus and the frequency dependence of the viscosity and shear modulus. Kinetics, slope, rise time. Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) technology
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $55 // non-UC Users: $79.75
Raman microscopes
Renishaw™ inVia™ upright microscope with x-y mapping stage. 532nm and 785nm laser sources. Due to heavy usage, the Facility has two of these instruments available for use, one in Pacific Hall and the other in the Structural and Materials Engineering (SME) building.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $50 // non-UC Users: $72.50
Rheometer
TA Instruments™ Discovery™ HR-30 Hybrid Rheometer. For characterizing a wide range of rheologic and viscoelastic properties of soft and solid materials: elastic modulus, viscous modulus, shear modulus, storage modulus, loss modulus, dynamic mechanical analysis, etc.
For the SOP on this instrument, contact the Facility Manager
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $55 // non-UC Users: $79.75
Thermogravimetric Analyzer/Differential Scanning Calorimeter with Mass Spectral Evolved Gas Analyzer (TGA-DSC-MS)
TA Instruments™ Discovery SDT 650™ simultaneous DSC/TGA. An MKS Cirrus 3 mass spectral analyzer is attached, allowing measurement of evolved gases up to 300 amu. Equipped with autosampler robot to load up to 30 samples. Can use nitrogen, oxygen, or air ambients. There is an additional charge for sample pans. Sample pans are re-usable but many users prefer to have their own dedicated pan to avoid possible cross-contamination from other users: charge for TGA sample pan for UC users: $35/pan; Non UC users: $40/pan
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $30 // non-UC Users: $43.50
Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC)
Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ UltiMate™ 3000 UHPLC. Pressures up to 620 bar (9,000 psi) at flow rates of up to 10 mL/min, detector data collection rates up to 100 Hz, and injection cycle times as low as 15 s, supports conventional LC and UHPLC applications.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $30 // non-UC Users: $43.50
Porosimetry-Gas Sorption Analyzer (BET)
Anton Paar™ Quantachrome autosorbIQ automated gas sorption analyzer for measurement of chemisorption (hydrogen, methane, other reactive gases) and physisorption (nitrogen) processes. The physisorption mode allows acquisition of data to determine surface area (via BET analysis of the isotherm), average pore size (via BJH or DFT isotherm models), and pore volume (via BJH or DFT isotherm models) on non-porous, mesoporous, and microporous materials. Featuring an extended range physisorption and chemisorption pressure transducer, system is capable of determining specific surface areas below 0.01 m2/g, active areas, pore volumes, and pore size distributions down to 0.35 nm in solid porous samples. Unit has 4 degas and 3 analysis ports for physisorption measurements on multiple samples simultaneously. Note sample degas and isotherm acquisition can require several hours of instrument time per run. Mesopore samples usually require ~4hrs total; micropore samples generally require longer degas times and so can require up to 18h of analysis time. The mass of sample needed for analysis depends on its surface area; recommended total surface area for a surface area measurement is 2 m2 and for a pore size measurement it is 10 m2. So for example if your sample has a specific surface area of 200 m2/g, it will require ~50 mg of material for a good analysis. The facility also maintains the older and slower Micromeritics™ ASAP 2020 gas adsorption/surface area measurement apparatus.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $25 // non-UC Users: $36.25
Contact angle
Goniometer (ramé-hart™ Model 200) for measuring contact angle and surface energy on flat surfaces.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $10 // non-UC Users: $14.50
Fluorescence microscope
Nikon™ Eclipse LV-150 coupled with a photometrics CCD or an ANDOR intensified CCD camera for steady-state or time-gated (temporal resolution of 8ns) photoluminescence imaging measurements.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $30 // non-UC Users: $43.50
Electrochemical etching apparatus
Keithley™ 2460 or 2651A Sourcemeter, with Labview™ computer interface. For preparing porous silicon films, microparticles, and nanoparticles by electrochemical anodization. Allows fabrication of photonic crystals, Bragg stacks, microcavities, Fabry-Perot layers, microparticles, and nanoparticles (including porous silicon quantum dots with the appropriate activation steps).
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $25 // non-UC Users: $36.25
Optical reflectance spectrometers
Ocean Optics USB-4000 and USB-2000, fiber optic attachments, microscope optics, and light sources for acquisition of optical reflectance and Fabry-Perot interference data. Spectral wavelength range 350-1000nm.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $15 // non-UC Users: $21.50
Ceramic tube furnace
Controlled-atmosphere heating of samples to 1000°C. Note heating/cooling rate is limited to < 10°C/min, so a typical 800°C, 1 h run will require 3.6 h of instrument time.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
UV-Ozone cleaner
Bioforce™ ProCleaner™ Plus UV ozone cleaner for surface oxidation and removal of organic contaminants from inert surfaces. UV ozone coverage area is 4” x 5” (100mm x 125mm)
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Ozone generator
Ozone Solutions, product ID OZV-8 for surface oxidation and removal of organic contaminants from inert surfaces.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Vacuum oven
For heating of samples to 300°C
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Muffle (Box) furnace
Thermolyne FD1545M (Thermo Fisher, USA) muffle furnace for atmospheric oxidation of samples up to 1000°C. Note heating/cooling rate is limited to < 10°C/min, so a typical 800°C, 1 h run will require 3.6 h of instrument time.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Vapor dosing apparatus
Computer-controlled (LABVIEW) gas-dosing apparatus, consisting of a Teflon gas-dosing chamber fitted with a transparent optical window and gas mixer/mass-flow controller (Cole-Parmer) system. The software and mass flow controllers can handle various low volatility, high volatility, toxic, corrosive, and flammable analytes. In-line humidity measurement.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $20 // non-UC Users: $29
Powder X-Ray Diffractometer
Bruker D8 Advance diffractometer using Cu Kα (1.5418 Å) radiation (40 kV, 40 mA). This instrument is managed by the UCSD Crystallography Facility.
Fluorescence spectrometer
Perkin-Elmer LS55. Instrument managed spearately, but access and billing flows through this portal.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $10 // non-UC Users: $14.50
Consultation/Training
Access to instrumentation is provided to users after training, which varies from instrument to instrument.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $50 // non-UC Users: $72.50
**Consultation-non-training
If you do not want to run the samples yourself, they can be run for you by our trained staff. This includes preparation and processing of user-supplied samples. Benchtop, fume hood, and Class II biosafety cabinet facilities are available. Charges here are in addition to the hourly instrument usage rates listed above.
Hourly Rate: UC Users: $35 // non-UC Users: $50.75