Conventional batch chemistry and general equipment

The Center is equipped for traditional organic synthesis and for more demanding batch applications (such as experiments under strictly controlled atmosphere, high pressure and microwave applications). Notable routine equipment include:

  • CEM Discovery SP with Active Vent for microwave activation at the research scale
  • Metrohm Karl-Fischer coulometer for titration of water content (dry solvents and reagents)
  • Parr reactor for high-pressure reactions
  • Various cryostats for low temperature reactions
  • High-power LEDs for photochemical reactions
CEM microwave reactor
Magritek
Magritek Spinsolve NMR Spectrometer

Benchtop 43 MHz NMR spectrometer available for 1H, 19F and 31P, both for traditional analysis and in-line monitoring.

IR Spectrometer
Shimadzu IRSpirit Spectrometer

FTIR spectrometer equipped with a diamond crystal and QATR-S accessory for the qualitative and  quantitative analysis of solids and oils.

HPLC-MS
Shimadzu LC-2030 and LC-2050

Two High-Pressure Liquid Chromatographs for high-throughput analysis of mixtures and pure compounds.

Shimadzu LCMS-2020

Mass Spectrometer for positive and negative ions detection and analysis.

HPLC
Shimadzu GC-2014

Gas chromatrograph with FID (Flame Ionization Detector) and autosampler for routine analysis of reaction mixtures (qualitative and quantitative).

GC Chromatogram
Teledyne CombiFlash Nextgen300+

Two automated flash chromatography apparatus equipped with UV-vis and ELSD detectors for rapid purification of samples. They operate from 1 to 300 mL/min and up to 20 bars.

Combiflashs

Flow apparatus

The Center owns a remarkable set of continuous flow reactors for demanding applications including liquid-liquid, gas-liquid, photochemistry, high temperature/pressure applications and complex multistep sequences.

DSC_2352

Standard fluidic equipment for daily research activities includes a range of injection systems (Nexus Fusion 6000 syringe pumps, Asia Syrris continuous syringe pumps, Knauer and Thales Nano HPLC pumps), gas flow controlers, pressure regulators (including variable BPRs) and in-line purification modules (e.g. Zaiput membrane-based liquid-liquid separators).

Corning Advanced-flow Lab Photo Reactor_crop
Corning Advanced-flow Lab Photo Reactor

Continuous flow reactor equipped for photochemical lab scale applications
Typical applications: lab scale process, R&D, optimization, lab-scale production for liq-liq, liq-gas, thermal or photochemical applications
Light source: high power LEDs (multiple wavelengths available)
Wetted-parts: metal free, glass, perfluorinated polymers, PEEK
Internal volume: 2.7 mL
Scale: 100+g/day
Operating conditions: -25 °C to 200 °C, up to 18 bar

Corning Advanced-flow Low Flow Reactor

Continuous flow reactor for lab scale applications
Typical applications: lab scale process, R&D, optimization, lab-scale production for liq-liq, liq-gas, thermal applications
Wetted-parts: metal free, glass, perfluorinated polymers, PEEK
Internal volume: 0.5 mL (per fluidic module)
Scale: 100+g/day
Operating conditions: -25 °C to 200 °C, up to 18 bar

[2] Corning Advanced-flow Low Flow Reactor_crop
[3] Corning Advanced-flow G1 Reactor_crop
Corning Advanced-flow G1 Reactor

Continuous flow reactor for pilot scale applications
Typical applications: pilot scale process, R&D, optimization for liq-liq, liq-gas, thermal applications
Wetted-parts: metal free, glass or SiC, perfluorinated polymers, PEEK
Internal volume: 8 mL (per fluidic module)
Scale: several kg/day
Operating conditions: -25 °C to 200 °C, up to 18 bar

Phoenix Flow Reactor (ThalesNano)

Continuous flow high temperature reactor compatible for homogeneous and heterogeneous liquid-liquid or gas liquid reactions.
Typical applications: lab scale process, R&D, optimization, lab-scale production for liq-liq, liq-gas, high temperature applications
Wetted-parts: SS
Internal volume: 0.9 to 18 mL
Scale: up to 100+g/day
Operating conditions: up to 450 °C, up to 100 bar

[4] Phoenix Flow Reactor (ThalesNano)_crop
CEM microwave reactor
CEM Discovery SP

Microwave reactor equipped with flow cells for continuous flow applications
Typical applications: lab scale continuous flow MW optimization and production
Wetted-parts: glass, perfluorinated polymers, PEEK
Flow rate: 0.1 – 10 mL/min
Internal volume: up to 30 mL
Scale: 100+g/day
Operating conditions: up to 300 °C

Flow IR (Mettler Toledo)

Device for in-line IR analysis equipped with a DTGS detector using HappGenzel apodization and a Silicon probe. High pressure flow heated cels of 10 or 50 µL are available.

[7] Flow IR (Mettler Toledo)

In-house workshop

3D Printers
3D printing

The lab is equipped with various tools to manufacture custom parts, including a Prusa MK3 and two Prusa MINI 3D-printers. They are used for the production of tools and the prototyping of in-house devices in PLA, PETG and PP.

 Departmental equipment

Analytical support

Major analytical instrumentation (NMR, MS spectrometers, etc.) is provided by the Department of Chemistry and fellow laboratories:

  • Center for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (CREMAN): 400 MHz and 700 MHz spectrometers
  • Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry
  • Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)

Computational support

Computational support for high-demanding calculations is provided by the University of Liège and the CéCI consortium of high-performance computing centers.

  • SEGI – computational resources at the University of Liège
  • CéCI – consortium of high-performance computing centers