CharFac Links

Useful links to other labs at the University of Minnesota


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The Minnesota Nano Center (MNC), at the University of Minnesota, is an interdisciplinary facility that supports faculty and industrial research within the College of Science and Engineering to support education, research and industrial collaboration in microelectronics and other related research involving nanofabrication.

The Particle Technology Laboratory (PTL) is one of the leading centers of small particle research in the U.S. Major facilities of the Laboratory include 500 sq. ft. of class 100 clean room space; wind tunnel, filter testing, and vacuum facilities; instruments for particle generation, measurement, sampling and analysis in the 0.002 to 100 µm diameter range; and microscopes, electron microbalances, gas analyzers, anemometry and other laboratory instruments.

The University Imaging Centers (UIC) is a complete light microscopy, image acquisition, image output, image analysis and genomics / proteomics facility.  The facility is staffed to provide one-on-one training and group workshops for training on equipment, software applications and in methodologies.  It is open for access 24 hours a day once users are trained.  It is also set up to serve the needs of researchers in commerce.

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Lab is a facility of the Chemistry department; its principal job is to provide access to NMR equipment and techniques for departmental research.  It is also available to outside departments within the university, and to a limited degree to external organizations.  Some service work is performed, but in most cases users operate the equipment themselves, and generate and process their own data.

X-ray Crystallographic Laboratory, Department of Chemistry
The XCL accepts samples for structural analysis from colleges and universities, as well as from industry.  The XCL specializes in samples that suffer from twinning, small size or solvent loss.  Annually, we teach an X-ray crystallography class which covers theory and prepares students to carry out their own structural analyses.  Students and postdocs with previous experience in X-ray crystallography may also become facility users.

The Polymer Characterization Facility, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
The Polymer Characterization Facility is available to University researchers and industrial clients. Assistance or collaboration is available for testing, training, and interpretation of results. Industry members of IPRIME receive a significant cost discount on facility use. The Rheology Lab is a major part of the Polymer Characterization Facility. The application of rheometry provides a sensitive probe of structure in complex materials such as polymers.