- Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR)
The Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR) Facility is equipped with a Bruker ESP-300E continuous wave X-band EPR spectrometer and three homebuilt broadband pulsed EPR spectrometers continuously covering the microwave frequency ranges from 2 to 18 GHz and from 26 to 40 GHz. The pulsed spectrometers represent unique high-power instruments suitable for all kinds of pulsed EPR applications, including fast reaction kinetics measurements and investigations of electronic and chemical structure of paramagnetic centers by electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM), electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) and electron-electron double resonance (ELDOR) techniques. The pulsed ENDOR accessory operates within the radiofrequency range from 0 to 220 MHz and has an output power of up to 800 W. The cryogenic setup based on Oxford Instruments flow cryostats and temperature controllers allows one to perform experiments at the temperatures as low as 4.2 K (liquid helium). A variety of spectral simulation and data manipulation software packages have been developed for analysis of the data. The facility provides services not only to the Department of Chemistry, but to all users throughout The University of Arizona or from other universities or businesses.
- Electron Spectroscopy and Surface Analysis (LESSA)
The Laboratory for Electron Spectroscopy and Surface Analysis (LESSA) offers a unique multi-technique surface analysis spectrometer for the study of solid surfaces using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, all under ultra-high vacuum conditions. The spectrometer is coupled with several different custom-designed vacuum systems used for the study of catalytical, electrochemical systems and materials fabrication. The facility is open to all students for the study of thin films in such applications as solar energy, conversion chemical sensors, optical logic, and chemical reactions inducing corrosion and catalysis. Managed by a Staff Scientist in Surface Science, this is a facility unique to most chemistry departments in the country.
- KECK
This year the Keck Center for Nano-scale Structure and Dynamics is taking delivery of new instrumentation provided by a grant from the Keck Foundation. These new capabilities will be managed by Dr. Brooke Beam, who joined the Chemistry Research Support staff in April to oversee the operation of the facility.
In addition to the Atomic Force/Probe Microscopes (AFM) already present in the facility, which includes a Veeco Dimension 3100 AFM, a Veeco MultiMode III AFM, and a new Agilent 5500 AFM (also purchased with the Keck Foundation grant), there will be two new optical microscopes available. The new instruments from Nikon are a C1 Si Laser Scanning Confocal Fluorescence microscope and a Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscope. Both of these microscopes will allow researchers to study fluorescent molecules or fluorophore labeled samples using multi-wavelength laser excitation.
To round out the capabilities in the Keck Center, a new FEI Inspec S Scanning Electron Microscope has been ordered. The SEM is a Tungsten filament system with a minimum resolution of 3 nm and 30 keV beam energy. Additional capabilities added to the SEM are a JC Nabity Nanometer Pattern Generation System (NPGS) for electron beam lithography of features less than 1 micron and an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer system for chemical element mapping of surfaces.
All of these instruments are housed in the Keck Center located in room 135 of the Chemical Sciences Building. If you have any questions regarding these instruments or if you would like to discuss how the Keck facility could impact your research, contact Dr. Brooke Beam at 621-3395, Mr. Paul Lee at 626-2942 or Dr. Ken Nebesny at 621-8240.
- Mass Spectrometry (MS)
The Mass Spectrometry Facility The Mass Spectrometry Facility provides state-of-the-art support (teaching and research) in Mass Spectrometry campuswide and for the local community. The MS Facility is extensively involved in national and international research collaborations which helps to enhance national reputation of U of A in Analytical Chemistry. Three permanent staff scientists operate the facility. They are joined with 2 or 3 graduate students with a year by year appointment. The mass spectrometric and analytical services include molecular weight determinations, structure elucidations, and qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic and bio-organic compounds. Instrumentation includes a Hewlett-Packard GC/MS system, a Varian GC/MS instrument, a JEOL HX110A high resolution magnetic sector instrument equipped with a home made TOF analyzer for MS/MS (CID and SID) measurements, a Finnigan LCQ HPLC/MS system, a Bruker Reflex III MALDI-TOF instrument, and a recently installed IonSpec FT-MS 4.7 T instrument. Services provided include EI, CI, FAB, ESI and MALDI ionization techniques. Currently, the JEOL HX110A, the Bruker MALDI-TOF, and the IonSpec FT-MS instruments are the only high resolution instruments on campus and in Southern Arizona. They are mainly used for accurate mass measurements (elemental analysis). Molecular weight determination of relatively large biomolecules (e.g., proteins) and peptide/protein sequencing are performed mostly on the Finnigan LCQ HPLC/MS system. The Bruker MALDI-TOF instrument also provides the capabilities for the analysis of synthetic polymers and large biomolecules, as well as accurate mass (high resolution) measurements for compounds up to ca. 6,000-7,000 u. The IonSpec FT-MS instrument is used for delicated structural analyses, i.e., when ultrahigh resolution (e.g., 500,000) and mass accuracy (< 5 ppm) are required.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR)
The NMR facility at the University of Arizona is staffed by two Ph.D. Chemists and two graduate student research assistants. The laboratory is equipped with a Varian Inova-600 with cryogenic probe for biological NMR,
Bruker Avance DRX-600 and DRX-500 with triple-resonance and triple-axis gradient capability, a Varian Unity-300 instrument for variable temperature and multinuclear experiments, a Bruker AM-250 for routine 1H and 13C and a Varian
Gemini-200 for undergraduate teaching. The NMR data from all instruments is available on a central quad-core Gateway 9515 Linux dataserver and compute engine equipped with XWinNMR and Felix software for NMR data processing and
display. An SGI Octane UNIX computer is also available, equipped with InsightII software for biological structure calculations using NMR restraints. A new 400 MHz instrument will be installed in September, 2009, with
high-throughput web-based operation.
- Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES)
The Gas-phase Photoelectron Spectroscopy Laboratory (PES) is the country's only service facility for electronic structure studies by high-resolution, gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy. Spectra can be collected on a service basis, or students may perform their own data collection and analysis.
Photoelectron spectroscopy measures the ionization energies of molecules when electrons are ejected from different orbitals, and thus can be used to infer orbital energies. Experimental information can also be gathered on the geometry changes and reorganization energy that accompany ionization, as well as the bonding nature, atomic character, and delocalization of molecular orbitals. These measurements also serve as the principle benchmark for electronic structure calculations.
Instrumentation in the PES Facility includes two photoelectron spectrometers, each with a 36-cm hemispherical electron-kinetic-energy analyzer and custom-designed sample entry, ionization sources, and detection and control electronics. Experimental techniques have been developed that allow manipulation of samples that are extremely air, moisture, light, and thermally sensitive. Sample entry and sublimation areas have been customized so that samples with sublimation temperatures up to 500°C can be analyzed.
As the only site in the United States that currently has capabilities for gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy of large neutral molecules, the Facility has a strong commitment to collaborative research efforts with external researchers. In recent years Facility staff has collaborated with over 50 domestic and international research groups.
- Proteomics
The Arizona Proteomics Consortium provides state of the art protein analysis for researchers at the University of Arizona. Officially organized in January 2006 from previously existing entities, it is supported by the Arizona Cancer Center, Arizona Research Laboratories, BIO5, the Department of Chemistry and Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC). Currently, the Proteomics Laboratories are housed in the College of Pharmacy, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and in Chemistry; with the main Laboratory scheduled to move to the new BIO5 (Keating) Building in late Fall, 2006. Services provided by the Arizona Proteomics Consortium include analysis of whole proteins by MALDI/TOF, separation of protein mixtures by 1-D and 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by nano-HPLC-MS/MS, protein separation and analysis by nano-LC/LC-MS/MS (MUDPIT), albumin depletion of serum samples, and difference protein analysis by differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE). Assistance with experimental design and training of researchers in this growing technology are provided by the Director, George Tsaprailis and Associate Director, Linda Breci along with a staff of one post-doctoral associate, three Research Specialists, and one Senior Staff Engineer
- X-ray Diffraction (XDF)
The X-ray diffraction facility is part of the Department of Chemistry at The University of Arizona, and provides diffraction service facilities to both the Department of Chemistry and the whole university, as well as collaborations with other users both in the USA and overseas. It is a shared multi-user instrumentation facility capable of carrying out experimental work on single-crystal and powder samples of chemical compounds for the purpose of determining molecular structure in the solid-state.
We currently have two instruments. For single-crystal work we have a Bruker SMART 1000 CCD detector, and for powder diffraction and thin-film studies we have a Philips X'Pert MPD diffractometer. Single-crystal work is routinely carried out at low temperature using an Oxford Cryosystems Cryostream low temperature device. Air, temperature and light-sensitive structures can be handled quite easily.
We offer both full structure and data collection-only services. In addition, trained users may carry out their own crystal mounting, data collection and subsequent structural analysis; hands-on use of the facility is strongly encouraged. Although housed within, and primarily serving. the Department of Chemistry we are open to users from throughout the university. Access to the Cambridge Structural Database is also available and full training can be given in searching the CSD effectively.
These units serve as technological and hardware assets for research. We can support your needs with the design and maintenance of instrumentation, new tools, new information technology, and new chemical compounds.
