Experimental Equipment and Instruments

Hydrothermal Geochemistry, Mineralogy
and Petrology Laboratory

Relevant Experimental Projects:

• Partitioning studies of elements (concentrating on trace metals) between minerals, melts, and fluids
• Synthetic fluid inclusion production
• Kinetic studies in mineral-fluid systems
• Crystal Growth studies in fluids and melts
• Mineral-bacteria surface interactions

  

Experimental Equipment:

• Kanthal doubly wound tube furnaces
• Temperature controllers and meters
• René 41 cold-seal hydrothermal vessels
• High-pressure tubing, valves and connections (up to 50,000 psi or > 3 kilobars)
• Haskle brand pressure intensifier
• Factory calibrated Heise pressure gauges

This picture shows a rack of hydrothermal furnaces and support equipment
(temperature controllers, digital thermometers, haskel pump, heise pressure gauge, etc.).

Kanthal doubly wound tube furnaces (8)

• Main windings run the length of the core and controlled by the temperature controller, whereas the secondary windings, covering the front half of the core, are variable pitched, wound and controlled by an external variable transformer.

  
     

Temperature Controllers and Meters

• CN77000 1/16 DIN Micromega Autotune PID temperature controllers (8)
• SSRL240 Solid State Relays (8)
• Compact 3/64 DIN temperature Meter with full size LED (3)

  
     

René 41 cold-seal hydrothermal vessels (12)

• Maximum working pressure and temperature are 3 kilobars (300 MPa) and 900°C, respectively.

  
     

Haskel Brand Air-driven Liquid Pressure Booster

• Driven by a Coleman Powermate 60 gallon air compressor.

  

 

High-Pressure Geochemistry, Petrology
and Mineral Physics Laboratory

Relevant Experimental Projects:

• In-situ studies of minerals and fluids at pressures up to 100 GPa
• Studies of reactions (kinetics and equilibrium) between minerals, melts, and fluids
• PVT equation of state determinations
• Synchrotron X-ray studies of minerals at elevated temperatures and pressures
• Solubility studies at extreme pressures and temperatures
• Crystal Growth studies in fluids and melts

  

Experimental Equipment:

• Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cells (3)
• Symmetric Diamond Anvil Cells (3)
• Ruby Fluorescence Pressure System
• High-temperature workstation with video and photographic capabilities
• EDM
Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cells (3)
• Capable of studies up to 25 GPa and 1000°C.
• Can also be used for cryogenic studies.
• Chromel heaters are wrapped around each diamond.
• A type K thermocouple is placed directly against each diamond.
• Ar (99%) – H (1%) gas flow is required for high-temperature operation.		  
     
Symmetric Diamond Anvil Cells (3)
• Capable of studies high-pressure (>100 GPa) and high-temperature (>3000°C when coupled with laser heating) experiments.		  
     
High-temperature workstation with video and photographic capabilities for Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell experiments
• Capable of studies up to 25 GPa and 1000°C.
• Mastech triple DC linear power supply
(0-30V at 0-10 Amps).
• ½” CCD high-resolution color video camera with on-screen menu
• Visual Inspector image capture and annotation software
• HH509 dual digital thermometer with RS-232 interface and software.		  
     
E.D.M.
• Micro-drill (can drill 90–600 micrometer holes in Rhenium, Inconel, René 41, Stainless Steel, etc.)		  
     

Ruby Fluorescence Pressure System

• Designed to measure ruby fluorescence so as to ascertain the pressure within a diamond anvil cell.
• 532 nm laser
• TE cooled linear CCD array spectrometer

  
     

Diamond Anvil Cell set-up for in-situ Synchrotron X-ray studies at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne national Laboratory (this photo is of the GSECARS beam line – hutch 13-BM-D)

• My research group has conducted numerous experiments at synchrotrons around the world (APS – Argonne, IL; NSLS – Brookhaven, Upton, NY; SPring 8 – Japan; CHESS – Cornell University, Ithaca, NY).

  

 

Sample Preparation Equipment

Optical Equipment

• Meiji EMZ-5 Binocular Stereo Zoom stereoscopes (3)
• Meiji EMZ-5TR Trinocular Stereo Zoom stereoscope (1)
• Titan monocular zoom microscopes (2)
• Nikon Petrographic Microscopes (2)
• High-intensity fiber optic lights (6)

  
     

Carbon Arc Electrode Welder

• Used to weld noble metal capsules (mostly Au and Pt), produce thermocouple connections, etc.

  
     

Miscellaneous Support Equipment

• Barnstead/Thermolyne Benchtop Muffle Furnace (for synthesis of reactants and solid state sintering up to 1100 °C)
• Automated polisher and grinder
• Lab ovens
• Oakton pH/mV/Ion/°C meter
• Ultrasonic cleaner
• Desiccators
• Glassware

    

 

External Facilities

Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory

• This synchrotron facility, located only 50 miles from NIU, has numerous beam lines where in-situ measurements can be made of high-pressure samples (minerals, fluids, etc.) by using diamond anvil cells.

  
     

National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory

• This synchrotron facility is located in Upton, NY and has highlyspecialized beam lines for in-situ X-ray diffraction and infrared radiation measurements of samples at high-pressure and/or high-temperature.