Microcalorimetry of adsorption: energy at interfaces

我们建议购买一种结合差示扫描量热法（DSC）和等温量热法（ITC）的吸附微量热计。虽然在许多实验室中都有DSC仪器，但ITCs很少见，并且最常见的配置仅用于液/液测量。所提出的微量热计是一种多功能和灵敏的仪器，可以测量液/气、液/液、固/气和固/液相系统中吸附、反应和溶解的能量。这样的仪器在麦吉尔和周边地区没有同等的（最近的是在渥太华）。它将支持来自麦吉尔大学（采矿与材料工程、化学、化学工程和生物工程）和INRS的至少9名研究人员的研究。这些项目涵盖了广泛的应用领域，包括生物材料、多相催化、生物传感、纳米颗粒的生物医学应用、可调润湿性材料、矿物加工、水处理、金属回收和光伏发电。通过微量热计获得的热力学信息将使申请人能够表征他们正在研究的吸附过程的分子细节，并设计优化的材料和工艺。这些信息是目前所有申请人研究中缺失的一部分。

We propose the purchase of a microcalorimeter of adsorption that combines differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal calorimetry (ITC). While DSC instruments are present in many labs, ITCs are rare, and are most commonly configured only for liquid/liquid measures. The proposed microcalorimeter is a versatile and sensitive instrument that allows measuring energies of adsorption, reaction, and dissolution, in systems involving liquid/gas, liquid/liquid, solid/gas, and solid/liquid phases. Such an instrument does not have an equal at McGill and surrounding area (the closest one is in Ottawa). It will support the research of at least nine researchers from both McGill (Mining and Materials Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering), and INRS. The programs supported span a broad range of applications, including biomaterials, heterogeneous catalysis, biosensing, biomedical applications of nanoparticles, materials with tunable wettability, mineral processing, water treatment, metal recovery and photovoltaics. The thermodynamic information obtained with the microcalorimeter will allow the applicants to characterize the molecular details of the adsorption processes that they are studying, and to design optimized materials and processes. This information is currently a missing piece in the research of all the applicants.