The Advanced Membranes Lab is fully equipped to synthesize, test, and characterize membrane materials, including the synthesis of polymers, nanomaterials, and small molecules. We are also users of some of the fantastic central facilities at U of T, including OCCAM (SEM, TEM, AFM), CRAFT (coatings, advanced 3D printing), CSICOMP NMR Facility in Chemistry, and ANALEST (solution chemistry, IR spectroscopy).
The equipment that we house are generally quite specialized and/or custom. We are open to external users having access to our equipment, with nominal fees for some instruments (see table below). Please contact Jay if interested. Images of our equipment are below.
In addition, we are in the process of building:
- 3-Cell crossflow reverse osmosis system (1000 psi max)
- 1-Cell crossflow high-pressure reverse osmosis system (2500 psi max)
Overall Rooms
Specialized Characterization Equipment
Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS)
IgaSorp-CT from Hiden Isochema. The system is compatible with water vapor and organic solvents. We use this instrument to measure diffusivity and sorption of vapors in polymer films.
Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
Nanobrook90 PALS from Brookhaven
Spectral Reflectometer
Filmetrics F20-UV. This instrument can be used to rapidly measure film thickness in the 10 nm – 10 um range.
Contact Angle Goniometer
Theta Lite from Biolin Scientific
Equipment User Fees
| UofT internal [Run your own sample] | UofT internal [AM lab runs the sample] | External [AM lab runs all external samples; billing through CERCL (cercl.com); 25% admin fee additional] | ||
| Instrument Name | Experiment Type | |||
| DVS Analyzer | Water sorption-desorption experiments | Not applicable | $60/day | $120/day instrument time; $100/hr personnel time |
| DVS Analyzer | WVTR (Water Vapor Transmission Rate) experiments | Not applicable | $60/day (sample holder cost additional) | $120/day instrument time (sample holder cost additional); $100/hr personnel time |
| DVS Analyzer | Experiments with other solvents * | Not applicable | See note* | $200/day instrument time; $100/hr personnel time |
| DLS | $20/30 min | $60/30 min | $100/30 min (instrument + personnel time) | |
| DLS | Zeta-potential | $30/30 min | $70/30 min | $120/30 min (instrument + personnel time) |
| Contact Angle | $20/30 min | $60/30 min | $100/30 min (instrument + personnel time) |
* Instrument access limited to research collaboration with AM Lab
Membrane Filtration Systems
Crossflow Ultrafiltration and Diffusion
Pure Gas Permeation
For Thin Films
Diffusion Cells
Synthesis and General Equipment
Schlenk Line
Fume Hood
Dirty and old, but it works!
Rotary Evaporator
Vacuum Oven
Centrifuge and Sonicator
Analytical Balance
Filament 3D Printer
Prusa i3 MK3S+, temporarily in a homemade enclosure