Automated XRD synthesis and characterization of powder libraries
Description
The platform allows the synthesis of libraries of materials in the form of powders, their structural characterizations by X-ray diffraction and the measurement of their optical properties (absorption and photoluminescence). After automated weighing of solid and liquid reagents, the platform carries out reactions in solution, filters the products and prepares libraries of 24 samples. X-ray diffraction is carried out directly on these libraries by positioning them on an automated XY stage. Excitation vs. excitement maps Emission and absorption spectra for each sample in the library can also be collected.
Location
IMN – Nantes Université / CNRS Laboratory.
Contacts
Platform managers: Romain GAUTIER
Associated targeted project coordinator: Guilhem DEZANNEAU
Technical characteristics
The synthesis robot is capable of weighing very small quantities of reagents (solids from ≈20 μg to ≈100 g and liquids from ≈50 μl to ≈10 ml), carries out reactions up to approximately 150°C with stirring and reflux. 8 liquids and 8 powders can be used together as reagents. Filling hydrothermal reactors (for 24 or 48 syntheses in parallel) is also possible. The recovery of products in powder form is done either by sampling the precipitate followed by evaporation on a quartz plate (“microplate” measuring 127.7mm x 85.4mm) or by filtration (recovery of the powders on filter paper). The robot is controlled by software which allows the import and export of data for the parameterization of tasks (import) and the recovery of measurement data (export) in formats easy to read and write (csv, txt, json ,…) and allows direct interfacing with the Python language by means of API.
X-ray diffraction is performed on the material libraries by positioning them on an automated XY stage mounted on an X-ray diffractometer. If necessary, the optical properties (photoluminescence and optical absorption) of the sample libraries can be collected.
Associated targeted project
