chemistry department instrumentation

The Huntington University Chemistry Department’s collection of instrumentation was enhanced when the Science Hall was built in 2002. Our instruments have been carefully chosen to be student-friendly and to represent a range of analyses encountered in both industry and research. Chemistry majors at Huntington have the advantage of being mentored in the operation and maintenance of these instruments.

	The Varian Gemini 200 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer is a research-grade instrument that allows students to solve structures of molecules. Understanding how the instrument functions also allows students to better comprehend the related technique of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in medicine.
	The Shimadzu QP5000 gas chromatograph – mass spectrometer (GC-MS) is an industrial-type instrument which allows students to separate, quantify, and identify components of volatile mixtures with the aid of electronic databases.
	The two Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometers (FTIRs) (Bruker Vector 33 and Mattson Galaxy 2020) allow students to identify molecules based on “fingerprint” spectra that they generate when they absorb infrared radiation. Accessories allow students to use the technique to identify materials in many different forms including powders, gases, liquids, fabrics, and adhesives.
	The three UV-Visible spectrophotometers (Perkin Elmer Lambda 35, Lambda 3, and Lambda 1) allow students to quantify the concentrations of colored substances or substances that absorb UV radiation.
	The two fluorimeters (Ocean Optics spectrofluorimeter and Turner filter fluorimeter) use the very sensitive technique of fluorescence spectroscopy to detect small quantities of fluorescent materials such as chlorophyll or fluorescent biological molecules. Shown in the photo is one of our smallest-sized instruments, an Ocean Optics fiber-optic fluorimeter.
The SRI 8610C gas chromatograph (GC) allows students to separate components of mixtures with low boiling points. This modern workhorse instrument allows students to practice their sample injection techniques and “tinker” with the instrument.
The Pine WaveNow potentiostat allows students to measure the concentrations and oxidation states of metals and other substances using electrodes immersed in solution, through techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV).
The Varian 5000 high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) allows students to separate and quantify components of non-volatile mixtures such as food ingredients or pharmaceuticals.
The laser polarimeter, constructed in-house, allows students to observe and quantify the rotation of light caused by optically active substances.
	The Parr oxygen combustion and solution calorimeters (Models 1341 and 1451) allow students to quantify the heat released or absorbed in various reactions, using a technique used in industry to measure Calories in food items.
The Vernier LabQuest interfaces are used in the introductory labs to allow students to collect data electronically in order to measure and graph quantities such as temperature, pH, and voltage.
The Wavefunction SpartanPro software allows students to use the laboratory laptop computers to calculate and visualize properties of individual molecules such as charge density, bond lengths, geometries, and vibrational frequencies.