Analytical Services

Key infra: Biomass characterization and bioproduct analysis

Joint University Infra

• CCMA: 5 NMRs + 5 Q-ToF/LC-MS
• Surface analysis: Imaging (TEM, SEM), XRD, etc.

Coordinator for analytical services: Ekaterina Korotkova

 

Thematic solution packages for analytical services

• Chemical composition of biomass
• Chemistry of fibre, pulp, paper, and recycled fibers
• General physical and optical properties of fibre, pulp, and paper
• Process water and other streams of pulp, paper and biorefinery plants
• Extractives and deposits
• Fractionation and extraction of biomass
• Bioactive extractive compounds
• Preparative and pretreatment methods
• Ink formulations for 3D printing

  

Analytical techniques (I)

• Chromatography – GC, HPLC, HPSEC
• Spectrometry – GC-MS, Py-GC-MS, LC-MS, UV-vis, FTIR
• Fractionation of biomass
• Ink formulation and printability tests for 3D printing
• Fiber spinning
• General physical and optical properties of fibre, pulp, and paper
• NMR spectroscopy (shared analytical platform)

Chromatography – GC, HPLC, HPSEC

• Gas chromatography (GC)
  •  Quantitative/qualitative determination of extractives, hemicelluloses and pectins, and cellulose
• Solid-Phase Microextraction/SPME-GC
  • VOC analysis, i.e. analysis of volatile organic compounds (e.g. methanol, ethanol, aldehydes and ketones of extractives (hexanal, pentanal etc.), terpenes etc.)
• Liquid chromatography
  • HPLC: Analysis and preparative separation of extractives and carbohydrates
  • HPSEC: Molar mass determination of THF or water soluble compounds (e.g. extractives, polymers, hemicelluloses, lignin), MW fractionation of samples for further analysis, MALLSdetection
• Flash chromatography
  • Preparative separation of bioactive substances

Spectrometry – GC-MS, Py-GC-MS, LC-MS, UV-vis, FTIR

• Mass spectrometry, GC-MS
  • Identification of organic substances, ion selective detection of compounds separated by capillary-GC
• Pyrolysis-GC-MS
  • GC fingerprint analysis of natural and synthetic polymers
• LC-ion trap-MS
• LC-QQQ-MS
• LC-QTOF-MS
• UV-Vis
  • Lignin determination, colorimetric determinations
• FTIR

Fractionation of biomass

• Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE-200, ASE-300, ASE-350)
  • Static hot water, high pressure extraction
  • To investigate wood extraction with different parameters
• Batch reactor extraction or digestering
• Soxhlet
• Reflux

Ink formulation and printability tests for 3D printing

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printer
• Direct Ink Writing (DIW) printer
• Digital light processing (DLP) printer

General physical and optical properties of fibre, pulp, and paper

• Fibre length distribution
  • FS5
  • Bauer McNett
• Canadian standard freeness and Schopper-Riegler
• Air permeance
• Tensile strength, Tear strength
• Water Retention Value
• Optical properties (Elrepho)

Analytical techniques (II)

• Flow cytometry: Analysis of particles and bacteria in water suspensions and process waters and extractives in paper and pulp mill process waters
• Microscopy
• Fiber analysis
• Gravimetric determinations: Ash content, moisture content
• Total Organic Carbon (TOC): Determination of the amount of organic (and
  
  inorganic) carbon in water samples
• Polyelectrolyte titration: Determination of anionic polymers in water and fibres, ”anionic trash” and fibre charge
• Kappa number: Residual lignin content
• Viscosity: Degree of polymerization (DP) for cellulose

Analytical techniques at NMT (III)

• Porosity and poresize distribution: Mercury porosimetry
• Fluid rheology:
  • Viscosity and viscoelasticity characterization
  • Low, intermediate, high shear rate rotational viscometry
  • Low and high shear rate capillary viscometry
  • Viscoelasticity evaluation
• Mechanical properties composites and other materials: Mechanical testing in tension, compression, three-point bending modes
• Barrier materials for packaging: Barrier properties of films and coatings; Water vapour transmission rate; Oxygen barrier properties (also for modified atmosphere packaging); Heptane vapour transmission rate; Mineral oil barrier properties; Solvent barrier properties
• Coating and printing: in laboratory and mini-pilot scale for paper and films

Infrastructure on fiber (IV)

• Reactors for biomass: pre-, main and and post-treatment equipment in kg-size
• Kraft and solvent-based pulping
• LC-refining (Prolab) conical fillings for refining of fibres
• PGW pulping
• O2- delignification and bleaching
• Pulp and paper characterisation

Analytical techniques in cooperation with other laboratories (V)

• Elemental analysis
• Metal analysis
• Analysis of drugs and hormones in water samples
• SEM and TEM
• XRD analysis
• Surface analysis