Technology Futures Institute
     

Science 2 Business Hub capabilities

Research and development work in science, sustainability and the environment is carried out in the School of Science & Engineering which has a broad range of facilities to carry out a full range of techniques.

Extensive modern laboratory facilities for:

  • analytical science
  • materials science
  • processing microbiology
  • molecular biology
  • food technology

Excellent facilities for nano and microfabrication:

  • clean rooms (class 100 and class 1000)
  • photolithography
  • wet and dry etching
  • metallisation and thin film deposition
  • screen printing
  • hot embossing
  • micro-injection moulding
  • laser ablation
  • device packaging

A range of analytical facilities:

  • environmental electron microscopy
  • atomic force microscopy
  • x-ray diffraction
  • surface energy measurement system
  • thermal analysis (Simultaneous TGA/DTA)
  • electrochemical impedance and a scanning electrochemical microscope

Techniques available

Separation analysis techniques
GC, Gas Chromatography, HPLC, Liquid Chromatography, CE, Capillary Electrophoresis

Structural characterisation techniques
GC-MS, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry; Pyrolysis GC-MS
LC-MS, Liquid Chromatograpy Mass Spectrometery
IR – Infrared Spectrocopy

Physical analysis techniques
SEM-EDS, Scanning Electron Microscopy, , X-Ray Analysis, Micro X-ray analyzer, Fluorescence spectroscopy, , Infrared Microscopy, Raman Microscopy, AFM, Atomic Force Microscopy, Fluorescence Microscopy

Electrochemistry techniques
Cyclic Voltammetry (Amperometry / Potentiometry), SECM, Scanning Electrochemical microscopy, Impedance Spectroscopy

Elemental analysis techniques
AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy), ICP-MS, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, XRF, X-Ray Fluorescence, Classical Organic and Inorganic Analysis

Physical chemistry techniques
Melting Point, Boiling Point, Rheology, UV/Vis Molar Extinction Coefficient

Molecular biology and biochemistry
PCR, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Q-PCR, Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Gel Doc, Gel Documentation System, Plate Reader (96 wells, 384 wells) – Absorbance and Fluorescence, Gel Electrophoresis, SDS PAGE, Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, DNA extraction, Genetic modification, Nanoparticle labelling of DNA, proteins, enzymes, antibodies, Bacterial culture, Biosurfactant extraction, Classical Bio analysis, Down to -80 0C storage facility.

Fabrication capabilities for coatings and thin films and structuring of materials
Clean Room, Thin Film Metal deposition, Thermal evaporation – Platinum, Gold, Copper (nm, µm), Sputtering – Nickel/Chrome, Gold, Aluminium, Dry and wet etching of metals and insulators, Patterning of thin films by photolithography – etching, Polymer hot embossing, Spin coating of thin films (sub-µm, µm), Oven for firing or bonding, Precision machining, CAD design solutions (AutoCAD,Pro/E).

Research capabilities

Our research is heavily applications driven and involves extensive collaboration with UK and international organisations. Current sponsors and collaborators include DTI, Rolls Royce, Newage, Goodrich, LG-Philips, Masonlite, Epichem, Attiger Ltd, University of Liverpool, Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland), Queen Mary University, Brunel University, Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and One North East.

Areas of research

Materials processing and chemical nanotechnology

  • nano and functional materials
  • smart materials
  • sol-gel chemistry and processing
  • nanocomposite materials and hybrids
  • high-performance coatings

Nano and micro devices

  • optical and electrochemical sensors
  • micro-fluidic devices
  • nano and microfabrication
  • lab on a chip analytical systems
  • flexible electronics

Biotechnology and applied bioscience

  • development of microbiological environmental waste treatments
  • functional foods
  • probiotics
  • nanoparticles in medicine and nano-toxicology