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Centre for Water Soluble Polymers (CWSP)

Instrumentation

The Centre has well equipped research laboratories. Specialist techniques include:

  • Gel Permeation Chromatography and Field Flow Fractionation coupled to Multiangle Angle Laser Light Scattering to determine the molecular mass distribution of water soluble polymers.
  • Differential Scanning Calorimetry to study conformational transitions and gelation of polymers
  • Isotherrmal titration calorimetry to follow polymer interactions with surfactants, etc
  • Controlled stress and controlled strain rheometry for steady shear viscosity and small deformation oscillation measurements.
  • Capillary break up rheometer (CABER) to measure extensional viscosity.
  • Electron spin resonance spectroscopy to monitor the configuration of adsorbed polymer molecules
  • Photon correlation spectroscopy to determine hydrodynamic volume of polymer molecules and nanoparticles; to measure adsorbed polymer layer thickness.
  • Doppler Velocimetry for determination of the zeta potential of particles.
  • Laser diffraction for measuring particle size distributions and flocculation and sedimentation in concentrated emulsions and dispersions.
  • Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI-TOF) for analysis of biomolecules and other macromolecules.
  • Dynamic surface tensiometry.
  • Membrane osmometry for determination of the osmotic pressure of aqueous polymer solutions.
  • Image analysis for particle/droplet size determination.
  • Scanning electron microscopy.
  • Turbiscan for measurement of particle/droplet creaming or sedimentation.
  • Flow Particle Image Analysis (FPIA) to study particle size and morphology in the range of 1-300 microns, used mainly for measurements of oil-in-water-emulsions.
  • Other General instrumentation includes:- FTIR, UV Spectroscopy, Fluorimetry, Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometry (AAS) Gas Chromatography (GC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).