Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The funding is requested for the purchase of a Micro-Balance that is capable of measuring very small weight changes for carrying out fundamental studies on gas-solid interactions including adsorption and desorption of gas and vapours, characterization of adsorbents and polymeric and inorganic membranes, as well as characterization of composite catalytic systems.  It has the capability of going up to 50 bars pressure, as well as very high vacuum. Regeneration (degassing) of the solid material at high temperature (up to 500oC) and at high vacuum (absolute pressure of 10-6 mbar) is carried out, to get rid of all previously adsorbed components like moisture, air, etc, if necessary. The gas or vapour is then introduced into the solid sample chamber, and weight change of the solid due to adsorption or reaction with the solid is recorded as a function of time.  This weight change is corrected for the buoyancy factor, as well as for the equation of state of the gas system at high pressure. This Micro-Balance will enable us to determine kinetic parameters, as well as carry out experiments at high pressures, which we are not able to do at the present time. It will also require a very small amount of solid sample to be analyzed, because of its high sensitivity. Fundamental studies that will be carried out with this Micro-Balance will have applications in Green House Gas (GHG) treatment, Landfill Gas treatment, Sustainable Development, decreasing demands in the Energy Sector, Solar Energy Storage, Hydrocarbon, Petrochemical and Semiconductor Industries, as well as in other general Environmental Engineering Pollution Control. Four different research groups will have access to this Micro-Balance and at least 15 students will be trained with this piece of equipment, as part of their education. The results obtained will be published in refereed journals, and therefore, related industry in Canada will directly benefit from them.