Adsorption Equipment
XEMIS Gravimetric Microbalance
The XEMIS system is designed for studying a variety of applications including gas sorption analysis, kinetic analysis, hydrogen and methane storage, carbon dioxide sequestration, natural gas separation and purification. The system was designed by Hiden Isochema Engineers with Exosensing technology which allows operation with corrosive and flammable gases over a broad range in pressure from 0 to 170 bar (2500 psi). The symmetric geometry of the system provides high precision and minimizes the buoyancy effects during the measurements. The various thermostat options (furnace, water bath, cryo cooling) allow measurements over a wide range in temperature from -196°C to 1000°C. The system can handle both solid and liquid samples with a maximum weight of 5 g. The measurement capacity from 0 – 200 mg has an accuracy of 0.2 μg. A safety interlock system has been designed which allows for continuous unattended operation. The second XEMIS microbalance is also setup with a first-of-a-kind multi-component sorption analysis module (MSAM). KU is one of only a few academic labs in the United States that has a XEMIS gravimetric microbalance.
Hiden Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzers
The Hiden Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzer (IGA) is a precision microbalance instrument designed to measure gas sorption in liquid and solid samples. The instrument accurately measures (P-x) vapor liquid equilibrium data and has the ability to measure the surface area and pore size of solid samples. Additionally, the IGA instrument is coupled with an in-line mass spectrometer to analyze volatile species during thermal decomposition studies. The various temperature options range from -180 °C to 1000 °C. The instrument has an operating pressure range between high vacuum (10-9 bar) to 20 bar (~300 psi) with pressure control accurate to +/- 0.001 bar. The instrument can operate with a sample loading as small as 50 mg or as large as 5.0 g.
Hiden intelligent gravimetric sorption analyzer
The IGAsorp uses an ultrasensitive microbalance to accurately measure the weight of liquid and solid samples as the relative humidity and temperature of the enclosure are varied. It allows the study of vapor uptake and kinetics to characterize materials at specific conditions. This instrument features a large capacity balance and can accommodate samples less than 5 g while measuring with 0.05 μg to 0.1 μg accuracy. It also has an isothermal control range of 5°C to 250°C ± 0.01 °C and high-precision control of water partial pressure (≤ 500 mbar) at ±1 % RH.
Setaram High-Pressure Calorimeter
high precision Calvet detector with high-pressure mixing cell. Isothermal, scanning, and reaction calorimetry for measuring heats of absortion, desorption, reaction, and heat capacity of gases, liquids, and solids. Pressure range: vacuum to 200 bar 0.01 bar. Temperature range: 20 to 300 0.1 °C. Sample size: 100 to 500 mg. Heat range to 2000 mW 0.1 µW. Setup in ventilated enclosure capable of handling both flammable and nonflammable gases. KU is one of only a few academic labs in the United States that has a high-pressure calorimeter that can be agitated using an impeller.
Pressure-swing Absorption System
Automated bench-scale pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) system with four 1 kg beds to studying gas separation such as removal of N2 from natural gas. On-line analytical capability using Hiden process mass-spectrometer with multiple sampling locations and automated sampling valve. National Instruments LabView data acquisition and control system. Operating pressure up to 50 bar (~750 psi) and temperature range from ambient to 500 °C.
