Research Facilities in Mineralogy and Geochemistry
Department of Geology Miami University

NEW Instrument

Transmission Electron Microscopy

 

We were recently awarded funding from NSF, the Ohio Board of Regents and Miami University for the Acquisition of a High Resolution Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope with digital imaging, elemental X-ray microanalysis (XEDS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), dark-filed imaging, and micro-beam electron diffraction capabilities..

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A Zeiss Supra35 variable pressure SEM with a field emission source, an EDAX X-ray fluorescence detector, and an HKL electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) detector.

Scanning Probe Microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) laboratory with a Digital Instruments NanoScope MultiMode scanning probe microscope with STM and AFM (tapping mode, Phase Imaging, MFM, etc.); Housed in Hughes Hall the SPM laboratory is shared with the Department of Chemistry.

X-Ray Diffraction

 

 

 Scintag powder diffractometer

 Bruker APEX

X-Ray diffraction laboratories (two) with a Scintag Pad X powder diffractometer and a complete suite of single-crystal X-ray cameras (Gandolfi and Precession cameras with dedicated generator), and a Bruker APEX single crystal diffractometer with a 4K CCD detector.

Mineral Synthesis Laboratory

 

 

chemostat

The lab is equipped with facilities for the synthesis of ambient to high temperature and ambient to moderate pressure minerals; equipment includes five programmable ovens (ambient to 300 C) and furnaces (ambient to 1400 C), numerous Teflon-lined Parr bombs, and sample preparation equipment. We have also built a chemostat for constant addition (steady state) aqueous crystal growth experiments.

HPLC and DCP Chemical Analysis

 
 

We have 4 wet chemical laboratories which house instruments including a Beckman/IDI DC Plasma Spectrometer and a Dionex HPLC/Ionchromatograph.


Cathodoluminescence and Optical Microscopy

Several optical mineralogy and petrology laboratories with research petrographic microscopes, a Nuclide Cathodoluminoscope with a cooled CCD digital camera, and reflected light Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy.

Use of National Synchrotron Facilities

 

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry

· 2 Isotope geochemistry laboratories with a Nuclide 12-inch thermal ionization mass spectrometer and a Triton multicollector thermal ionization mass spectrometer.

 

Others Facilities

· Sample preparation labs with thin sectioning, rock pulverizing, and size separation equipment.

· A university electron microscopy center with several TEMs and SEMs.

 

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