Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Inorganic, organic and bio-nanomaterials based research and development is a continuously evolving effort to control substances at the atomic and molecular level to achieve new and better materials and products. The miniaturization of components is necessary to achieve faster, higher-performance devices and functions and to reduce energy consumption. Inorganic, organic and  bio-nanomaterials have come to play a key role in a wide range of fields affecting our daily lives, including energy, electronics, medical, environmental protection, bioengineering industries, and the life sciences. They play a critical role in science and technological developments and can enhance a nation's economy. Deploying these technologies will require the application of knowledge, concepts, and tools from a variety of fields including those mentioned above. This relies on our understanding of the structure, morphology, activity and stability of bio, organic and inorganic materials for the targeted applications.    The aim of this proposal is to purchase a new generation Zetasizer Advance Series-Ultra (Red Label) as a highly versatile instrument allowing the measurement of size, molecular weight, concentration, and zeta potential of dispersed particles and molecules using Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Static Light-Scatering (SLS), Multi-angle Dynamic Light Scattering (MADLS) and Zeta potential measurement techniques. The simplicity and the accuracy of the Zetasizer Advance Series-Ultra method have made it a crucial analysis tool for measurement of size, molecular weight, concentration, and zeta potential of dispersed particles and molecules. The requested new generation Zetasizer Advance Series-Ultra equipment will offer a set of unprecedented capabilities in terms of sensitivity and accurate measurements regardless of analysis time, allowing measurements to be performed with precision.    The equipment will be directly used by at least 47 HQP, adding an important component to their training and increase their employability. It is needed urgently to replace two inoperative first-generation, obsolete machines located at UQAM and Concordia University (acquired over 25 years ago), which is critical to the research of all co-applicants and will raise their ability to build and strengthen their collaborations with academia and industry. It is required for research programs in areas of high socioeconomic importance to Canada, e.g., nanomaterials, bionanomaterials synthesis, energy conversion and storage, sensors, and vaccines. Considering the global importance of these areas, the acquisition of this equipment will enable our researchers to develop accurate bio, inorganic and organic functional nanomaterials and shed light on the relationship between the physical, chemical, and biological activities of these nanomaterials regarding particle size distribution, concentration, and molecular weight, helping propel Canadian research several cutting edge fields.