Fluorometer for material characterization

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Fluorescence is essential in our research programs and the present application is to give us access to a fluorometer with adequate performances. This new instrument will replace an outdated 15-year old SPEX Fluorolog 2 fluorometer.  The fluorometer will be used: i) to assess the permeability of a novel family of liposomes which can be designed to be pH- and light-sensitive, ii) to determine the effects of membrane-perturbing agents on lipid bilayer permeability, iii) to investigate lipid specificity in lipid-protein interactions, iv) to obtain fundamental spectroscopic information, including fluorescence spectra and quantum yield, on new transition metal compounds and inorganic materials relevant for applications as Organometallic Light Emitting Devices (OLEDs), and v) to determine the absorption/fluorescence properties of poly(2,7-carbazole) derivatives suitable for solar cell devices, in order to optimize the structures obtained from calculations and to improve charge mobility and luminescent efficiency in these materials.  All these funded projects absolutely required a daily access to a reliable and efficient fluorometer.  Funds to replace our 15 year old machine are essential to perform our experiments more efficiently, to extend the wavelength range available to the UV, and to prevent in the short term a situation where these projects would be stopped because of a breakdown of the outdated system.