Instrumentation in the Shared Instrument Lab is available to serve the university community as well as the rest of the UM system, other non-profit and even commercial entities. Independent use of the instrumentation requires proper training, which is provided by lab staff; various training modules have been developed to prepare users (faculty and their students, staff, employees of commercial concerns, etc.) to properly use the instrumentation. Priority for training is given to those requests which support the teaching and research missions of the university.
Training – Frequently Asked Questions (READ THIS FIRST)
Q: How do I request training?
A: Send an email to the key contact for the instrument on which you wish to be trained. (The key contact is listed with each instrument on the instrument details page.) In your email, be sure to give your department and advisor, indicate the instrument on which you wish to be trained, and provide your general availability (days and times of day) for training. Each training module listed below indicates a typical training period (in hours); your availability must include time blocks large enough to accommodate that typical training period. It may also be helpful for you to include information about the kind of samples you plan to analyze and the sort of information you hope to learn.
Before you can be scheduled for training, you must provide proof of having completed the university-mandated General Lab Safety Training. Look for instructions on how to do this at “Providing Proof of GLST Completion“.
Q: How long will it take for my training to be scheduled?
A: Training is scheduled at the intersection of the trainee’s time, the instructor’s time, and the availability of the instrument. The only one of those over which you have any control is your own availability – so be as flexible as you can when specifying your available days and times! Also remember that there are probably people in line ahead of you for training.
Q: Can’t you get me in sooner? I’m in a terrible hurry.
A: Most everyone is in a terrible hurry and will still have to wait their turn. If you are going to TA a class and need to be trained right away, the faculty member for whom you will be a TA should contact us. (Some trainings – such as for GCMS – cannot be given in a hurry and will not be rushed.)
Chromatography (GCMS, GC, HPLC)
Shimadzu GCMS basics
Typical training period: several 3 hour blocks (twice weekly) until the instructor is comfortable with the user’s level of competence
Content: basics of GC and MS necessary to method development; sample preparation and solvent selection, GC and MS method development and how to protect the instrument; sample sequence building.
Prerequisite: prior to the training being scheduled, prospective trainees must study two documents (one on GCMS theory and method development, and the other on the Shimadzu software) and pass a short quiz on each.
Shimadzu GCMS: headspace analysis
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: use of the GCMS for headspace sample analysis, including autosampler setup and method specifics.
Prerequisite: Shimadzu GCMS basics
Shimadzu GCMS: SPME analysis
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: use of the GCMS with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) sampling, including autosampler setup and method specifics.
Varian 3900 GC
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, basics of GC method development, sample preparation and solvent selection, hands-on introduction to the system, method building practice, analysis of samples.
Thermo Vanquish HPLC
Typical training period: 4-5 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, basics of HPLC method and sequence development, sample preparation and solvent selection, hands-on introduction to the software, method and sequence building practice, analysis of samples, basic data analysis, report formatting and generation.
Optical Spectroscopy (FTIR, UV-vis, fluorescence)
FTIR general training
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: proper use of the FTIR in the mid-infrared range; includes lab housekeeping, a few fundamentals regarding FTIR, experiment configuration, data acquisition using the main sample compartment and the built-in ATR using liquid and solid samples; data display, formatting, and saving; a little data interpretation; analysis of user samples; cleanup.
FTIR: near IR
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use of the FTIR in the near-infrared, including beamsplitter selection, light source selection.
Prerequisite: FTIR general training
FTIR: far IR
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use of the FTIR in the far-infrared range, including beamsplitter selection.
Prerequisite: FTIR general training
Cary 50 UV-visible spectrometer general training
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, sample preparation, dilution, instrument parameters and operation.
Cary 5000 UV-visible spectrometer general training
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, sample preparation, dilution, instrument parameters and operation.
Cary 5000: diffuse reflectance
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: baselines, sample preparation, instrument parameters and operation.
Prerequisite: Cary 5000 general training
Edinburgh FS5 fluorescence spectrometer general training
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, a few fundamentals regarding fluorescence and the instrument; instrument baselining, emission scans, excitation scans, and excitation/emission mapping; data visualization options.
Edinburgh FS5: lifetime measurements
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: use of the FS5 to measure fluorescence lifetimes
Prerequisite: Edinburgh FS5 general training
Edinburgh FS5: phosphorescence measurements
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use of the FS5 to measure phosphorescence
Prerequisite: Edinburgh FS5 general training
Edinburgh FS5: quantum yields
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: use of the FS5 to measure quantum yields
Prerequisite: Edinburgh FS5 general training
Other Optical Measurements (polarimetry, refractometry)
Jasco P-2000 digital polarimeter
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use and care of the digital polarimeter
Kern full circle polarimeter
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use and care of the Kern polarimeter
Abbe Mk II refractometer
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: use and care of the Abbe refractometer (at the 589nm Na line)
Thermal Analyses (TGA, DSC, mp)
Q500 TGA training
Typical training period: 2-3 hours (in two sessions separated by sample run time)
Content: lab housekeeping, sample prep, instrument ops guidelines, basic method development, method editing, basic data analysis, pan cleaning, instrument shutdown
Q2000 DSC conventional experiments
Typical training period: 2-3 hours (in two sessions separated by sample run time)
Content: lab housekeeping, sample prep, instrument ops guidelines, basic method development, method editing, basic data analysis, instrument shutdown
Q2000 DSC modulated experiments
Typical training period: 2-3 hours (in two sessions separated by sample run time)
Content: sample preparation, modulation parameters, method development, data analysis, shutdown
Prerequisite: Q2000 DSC conventional experiments
Electrothermal melting point apparatus
Typical training period: 1 hour
Content: proper use and care of the digital melting point apparatus
Exeter CE-440 CHN analyzer
Typical training period: 1 day (training session will be broken into segments to accommodate sample analysis time)
Content: lab housekeeping; instrument theory, practice, and limitations; sample prep including use of the microbalance; preparation, calibration and checking of the instrument, student sample runs and data quality; troubleshooting
Benchtop NMR
Spinsolve NMR basic training
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: lab housekeeping, sample prep, shimming the magnet, acquisition of 1H and 13C spectra, a little data interpretation, analysis of user samples.
Spinsolve NMR: advanced
Typical training period: 2-3 hours
Content: multidimensional and multinuclear experiments
Prerequisite: Spinsolve NMR basic training
Miscellaneous
Johnson Matthey magnetic susceptibility balance
Typical training period: 1-2 hours
Content: proper use and care of the magnetic susceptibility balance; measurements and conversion between various units.
Sartorius ME5 microbalance
Typical training period: 1 hour
Content: proper use and care of the microbalance
NOTE: training on the microbalance is included with training for instruments that need to have small samples of precisely-measured mass (e.g., TGA, DSC, elemental analysis).