State-of-the-art facilities

The Institute offers world class working conditions in order to attract leading scientists, including a state of the art laboratory and office building with more than 50 laboratories and an overall surface of approximately 7'000 m2.

Currently, the Institute combines a unique experimental infrastructure that can be applied in the following areas:

  • dynamic and structural properties of nanomaterials on a wide range of length and time scales
  • thermal and mechanical characterization of soft materials
  • nanoparticle synthesis and characterization
  • surface and interface analysis via light scattering, ellipsometry, and microscopy
  • interaction of nanoparticles with cells

We encourage other groups and researchers who have an interest in using our facilities to contact us to schedule experiments. In the past, we have had many groups from within and outside the university using these instruments. We enjoy getting insight into new problems and welcome collaborations with scientists from different areas. Instruments can also be reserved via our online booking platform: AMI instrument booking.

  • Synthesis and preparation
    • Fully equipped chemistry labs including everything to synthesize small molecules, nanoparticles and polymers in quantities of up to 100g
    • High Vacuum lines, Glove Box, solvent purification line, spray drying, etc.
    • Nebulizer for suspensions and controlled deposition of nanoparticles at air-liquid interfaces
    • Magnetic reactors for purification and surface derivatization of magnetic nanoparticles
    • FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography)
  • Processing
    • Spin coater
    • Micro extruder
    • Hot/Cold presses
    • Thermal Evaporator
    • Freeze Dryer
    • Homogenizer
    • Ultrasonic baths
    • Ultracentrifuge
    • Plasma cleaner
    • 3D Printer
    • Programmable cutter
    • Rotation evaporators
    • Programmable 2D cutter
    • Tip sonicator
  • Characterization
    • Polymer Analysis Molecular: GPC, GC-MS, IR, NMR
    • Polymer Analysis Thermal / Mechanical: DSC, DMTA, TGA, Micro Tensile Testing
    • Particle Analysis: BET, TEM, SEM
    • Optical Characterization: Fluorescence Spectrometer, Ocean Optics, UV-Vis, Polarized/Fluorescence, Optical Microscopes, Fluorophotometer and -spectroscopy
    • Electronic Characterization: Electrical Conductivity, CV System
    • Characterization Morphology: AFM, STM, Optical microscopy, Light scattering (DLS, DDLS, SLS), Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
    • Tensile tester with temperature chamber
    • Elemental analysis (C, H, N, O)
    • Cell analysis: PCR, Transepithelial electrical resistance
    • HPLC
    • Osmometer
    • Conductivity meter
    • Capillary electrophoresis
  • Cell culture
    • Biosafety level 2 labs
    • 3D Bioprinter (from RegenHu)
    • IncuCyte cell imager
  • Microscopy
    • Tescan Mira 3 scanning electron microscope
    • FEI Tecnai transmission electron microscope
    • ThermoFischer Scios 2 focused ion beam scanning electron microscope
    • Zeiss 710 meta laser scanning microscope
    • Atomic force microscopy
    • Cytoviva hyperspectral imaging
    • Olympus BX51 fluorescence microscope
    • ZenCELL Owl
    • Single molecule fluorescence and lifetime microscope
    • Total internal reflection fluorescence microscope