University of Houston: Center for Materials Chemistry

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The University of Houston has a wide range of equipment for materials synthesis, processing and characterization. The equipment is located in the laboratories of individual investigators and in central facilities. The materials characterization central facility was established by the Center for Materials Chemistry at the University of Houston (CMC-UH) to concentrate major characterization equipment and to create a user support structure. The existing facilities include a surface analysis laboratory with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) instruments for the characterization of oxides and organic materials, a high resolution and analytical electron microscope, and single crystal and powder X-ray diffractometers. The central facilities are managed by committee of CMC-UH faculty. Senior CMC-UH research staff, in addition to carrying out their own research projects, manage the scheduling of instrument time and advise and train post doctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students on the use of the equipment. The CMC Characterization Facility comprises three laboratories which contain the equipment described in detail below.

For more information, please contact A. J. Jacobson at (713) 743-2785 or ajjacob@uh.edu

Electron Microscopy -- Imaging and Analysis

JEOL 2010-F Transmission Electron Microscope

X-Ray diffraction

Scintag XDS 2000 Automated Powder Diffractometers
Siemens SMART Single Crystal X-Ray Diffraction System

Surface Analysis

PHI Model 5700 X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer
PHI Model 6600 Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

The Center for Materials Chemistry also has facilities for thermogravimetric analysis, dilatometry, surface area determination and optical measurements (IR, UV-vis, SHG).

JEOL 2010-F Transmission Electron Microscope Specifications Field-emission electron gun 1.9 A point-to-point resolution (1.4 A information limit) 4 A-diameter analytical probe Gatan 794 Multi-Scan CCD Image Acquisition System Gatan 666 Parallel Electrong Energy Loss Spectrometer
Scintag XDS 2000 Automated Powder Diffractometers Specifications Computer controlled powder diffractometers in theta-theta geometry. Peltier cooled and liquid nitrogen cooled solid state detectors. Twelve position sample changer. DMS software including: graphic and real time display; on-line search match procedure; (JCPDS powder diffraction file) auto indexing (TREOR); lattice parameter refinement; structure refinement (GSAS); Inorganic Structure Database.
Siemens SMART Single Crystal X-Ray Diffraction System Specfications Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) area detector for single crystal frame data collection and imaging. SMART software package for data acquisition and processing. SHELXTL software for single crystal structure determination. Absorption corrections with both analytical and empirical methods. Rapid screening of crystals and determination of unit cell dimensions. LT-2 Low temperature device for cooling crystals to near liquid nitrogen temperatures.
PHI Model 5700 X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer Specifications Providing compositional and chemical state information for all elements from Li to U if present at above 1 atomic % Providing element and chemical state specific depth profiles (through the use of an AR+ sputter source) and spatial distribution maps with relative ease Analyzing insulating samples through the use of dual electron and ion beam charge neutralization Quantification through the use of accurate elemental sensitivty factors
PHI Model 6600 Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer Specifications Simulataneous positive and negative secondary ion detection for all elements across the periodic table including H with an ultimate sensitivity in the ppb range Providing element specific depth profiles and spatial distribution maps with relative ease Analyzing insulating samples through the use of electron beam charge neutralization Quantified through comparison with standard reference materials