Facilities

We have a range of facilities to support our students and researchers in the George Porter Building and neighbouring Materials Centre. These facilities are available to everyone, including external industrial companies. These pages contain information about what we have, where it is located and who you should contact for support or contractual enquiries.

Analytical facilities

The Department has a range of analytical instrumentation on which, subject to availability, samples can be analysed for clients:

• Nuclear magnetic resonance
• X-ray crystallography
• Mass spectrometry
• Atomic absorption
• FTIR spectroscopy

For more information on any of these facilities, please contact Dr Dominic Banks (Technical Services Manager).

Please note: these services are non-accredited.

Glassblowing

The department features its own glassblowing workshop for repairs and for bespoke glassware made by our in-house glassblower.

Workshops

The department has the ability and requisite facilities for mechanical and electronic repairs and manufacturing to support teaching and research.

• For information on the mechanical workshop, please contact Gareth Bustin
• For information on the electronic workshop, please contact Carl Schieferstein

Enterprise activities

Ionic Liquids Demonstrator

The Ionic Liquids Demonstrator (ILD) is a multi-application pilot plant facility to showcase the application of ionic liquids, primarily in the area of metal processing. The ILD has been funded through the EU IONMET project, ScioniX Ltd and the Leicestershire Economic Partnership (LSEP). The ILD project builds on the historic and ongoing research and development activities in the Green Chemistry group at the University of Leicester to transfer its ionic liquids applications know-how to Leicestershire businesses. Our ionic liquids applications have real potential to bring new value-added gains to existing businesses within the sub-region.

Real-time Air Fingerprinting Technology (RAFT)

The University of Leicester’s expertise in measuring in real-time the trace composition (VOC/OVOC) of complex mixtures of gases is being deployed through the Real-time Air Fingerprinting Technology (RAFT) demonstrator project in the region. RAFT innovates with industry to adopt technology and generate joint IP to better exploit commercial opportunities. RAFT helps companies from all sectors to develop new applications and products to follow in real-time the emissions of volatile organic compounds and gases such as automotive emissions, and breath analysis.

ScioniX

ScioniX Ltd is a joint venture between the University of Leicester and Genacys Ltd. The company was established in 1999 to commercialise the industrial use of a novel class of solvent systems.

East Midlands Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications

East Midlands Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications' vision is to support industry and the science base across the UK in order to accelerate the growth of satellite applications, to contribute to capturing a 10% share of the 400bn global space market predicted by 2030.