Institute of Geotechnics SAS SLOVENSKY contactcontact

Research Infrastructure

1. ELEMENTAL AND MINERALOGICAL ANALYSIS

  • Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Varian, Australia)
  • Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer ICP-MS Agilent 7700
  • Elementar Vario Macro Cube for CHNS analysis (Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH, Germany)
  • TOC/TNb analyzer Vario TOC Cube (Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH, Germany)
  • Trace and ultra-trace mercury analyzer DMA–80 Tricell (Milestone)
  • Portable mercury vapour analyser JEROME 431-X
  • Spectro Xepos X-ray fluorescence spectrometer model XEPO3 (Spectro Analytical Instruments, Germany)
  • D8 Advance XRD diffractometer (Bruker, Germany)

 
2. MICROSCOPY AND SPECTROSCOPY

  • Scanning electron microscope FE MIRA 3 (TESCAN, Czech Republic) equipped with energy dispersive and wavelength dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (EDX, WDX – Oxford Instruments)
  • Fluorescence microscope LEICA DM 6000
  • Optical microscope Nikon Eclypse 400
  • UV-VIS spectrophotometer Helios Gamma (Thermo Electron Corporations, Great Britain)
  • PC1 – Photon Couting Spectrofluorimeter (ISS, USA)
  • FTIR Spectrometer Tensor 27 (Bruker Optik GmbH, Germany)
  • Portable spectrometer DR 1900 with thermal reactor DRB 200 (Hach Lange GmbH, Germany)

 
3. CHROMATOGRAPHY

  • Liquid chromatograph UHPLC Dionex Ultimate 3000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., USA) with DAD detector and mass spectrometer Q-TOF (micrOTOF-Q II™ Bruker Daltonics, GmbH, Germany)
  • Two-channel ion chromatograph Dionex ICS 5000
  • GC-MS gas chromatograph Agilent 7890A with mass spectrometer Agilent 5975C

 
4. SURFACE AND PARTICLE SIZE ANALYSIS

  • Surface area and pore size Analyzer Quantachrome NOVA 1200e (Quantachrome Instruments, USA)
  • Gemini 2360 (Micromeritics, USA)
  • Zetasizer Nano ZS (Malvern, Great Britain)
  • Diffraction Spectrometer Helos 12 LA with a wet dispersion unit Rodos (Sympatec, Germany)
  • Nanophox Particle Sizer – Photon Cross Correlation Spectrometer (Sympatec, Germany)
  • Particle size, volume and number distribution analyzer Beckman Coulter ® Multisizer IV (Beckman Coulter, USA)

 
5. THERMAL ANALYSIS AND PROCESSES

  • Thermal analyzer STA 449 F3 Jupiter and mass spectrometer QMS 403 C Aëolos (Netzsch, Germany)
  • Laboratory tube oven operating at different atmospheres (maximum temperature 1200 °C)
  • Muffle oven CE-4 (maximum temperature 1150 °C)
  • High-temperature laboratory chamber furnace VP 02/16 (LAC, Czech Republic)

 
6. BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

  • Microfluidic chip bioanalyzer Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100
  • Real-Time PCR (Q-PCR) system Light Cycler 2.0 Roche
  • Electrophoresis for the PCR products separation
  • Gel documentation system
  • BBL Crystal Bacterial Identification System (Becton-Dickinson, USA)
  • SureCycler 8800 Thermal cycler (Agilent)
  • Thermal cycler Techne
  • Flow-through respirometric equipment for the measurements of metabolic activity with paramagnetic oxygen analyzer PA-10A (Sable Systems, USA), carbon dioxide analyzer with IR sensor (Sable Systems, USA) and eight-channel gas multiplexer RM-8 (Sable Systems, USA)
  • Bioreactors – anaerobic and aerobic bacterial cultivation
  • Laboratory autoclave Tuttnauer
  • Aseptic box Biosan
  • Aseptic box Fatran
  • Biological thermostats

 
7. MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ANALYSES

  • Kappabridge KLY-2 for magnetic susceptibility measurements (Geofyzika, Czech Republic)
  • Dielectric permittivity measuring instrument MP-1 with generator HM8135 3GHz HF Synthesizer and Spectrum Analyzer HM 5530

 
8. GEOTECHNICS
 
8.1 Experimental devices

  • experimental horizontal laboratory drilling rig for rotary drilling with bits of diameters up to 70 mm with automated systems of control and monitoring, designed and constructed at the IGT SAS
  • 4-channel dynamometer and multichannel amplifier Kistler for multi-component force measurement during drilling (3 force components and torque)
  • accelerometers and automated system Adash 3900-II for monitoring of the vibration acceleration during drilling, installed on the drilling rig

8.2 Equipment for characterization of strength, deformation and technological properties of rocks

  • experimental press INSTRON 1000 RD (load up to 5 MN) for testing the strength and deformation characteristics of rocks
  • Point Load Tester PLT-100 (GCTS) for measurement of the point load strength of rocks
  • Schmidt hammer SilverSchmidt PC/N (Proceq) for measurement of rock rebound hardness correlated to the UCS and standardized according to the European standard EN 12504-2: 2012
  • CERCHAR abrasionmeter (ErgoTech) for measurement of rock abrasiveness by CERCHAR methodology
  • abrasionmeter for measurement of pin rock abrasiveness according to the Slovak technical norm ON 441121, designed and constructed at IGT SAS
  • LCPC abrasionmeter for determination of rock abrasiveness according to the LCPC methodology, designed and constructed at IGT SAS

8.3 Equipment for preparation of testing samples

  • Circular saws for the preparation of rock samples
  • Grinders and sanders for preparation of rock samples

8.4 Experimental data processing software and hardware

  • automated systems for monitoring of laboratory experiments and for the field in-situ conditions
  • software application of own design for management, visualization, data collection and archiving of data from laboratory drilling rig
  • DynoWare 5825 software for the monitoring, analysis and visualization of signals from Kistler dynamometer
  • vibro-diagnostic software DDS 2007 for analysis of vibration signals monitored by accelerometers
  • IBM/Oracle database server for storage and distribution of experimental data from the laboratory drilling rig
  • MATLAB software for mathematical modelling and analysis, Simulink, Fuzzy Logic Toolbox, MATLAB Builder for Excel, MATLAB Compiler, Signal Processing Blockset, Signal Processing Toolbox, Statistics Toolbox Version, System Identification Toolbox
  • remote access to powerful computing systems MATLAB and COMSOL Multiphysics in national data centre project for science and research, and national infrastructure for technology transfer in Slovakia – CVTI
  • Adobe CS6 Design software for image processing and image analysis
  • OriginPro 9.0 software for analysis of experimental data
  • Microsoft Office, Analyse-It for Excel – statistical software

 
9. MINERAL PROCESSING
 
9.1 Crushing, Milling and Classifying

  • Planetary mill Pulverisette 7 Premium Line (Fritsch, Germany)
  • Planetary mill Pulverisette 6 Classic Line (Fritsch, Germany)
  • Stirred ball mill Attritor Molinex PE/075 (Netzsch, Germany)
  • Circulation mill MiniCer (Netzsch, Germany)
  • Cryomill Freezer Mill SPEX 6870 (CertiPrep, USA)
  • Jaw crusher PS D-160
  • Roll crusher
  • Laboratory biomass crusher FDV
  • Vibrating jaw grinder VČM-3
  • Jewel vibrating pulverizer KM-1
  • Universal laboratory ball and bar mill LP (porcelain, metallic)
  • Attrition mill
  • Vibrating mill VM-1 (KSMH-Hranice)
  • Air classifier Alpine 100MRZ
  • Vibrating classifier TE-III
  • Sample splitters RT 6.5 (Retsch)
  • Vibratory sieve shaker AS 200 (Retsch)
  • Different mesh size of sieves from 40 µm to 50 mm
  • Mesh size of sieves for microclassifying in ultrasonic bath from 5 to 45 µm

9.2 Physical Separation

  • Pilot hydrocyclone station
  • High-intensity magnetic separator MECHANOBR
  • Low-intensity magnetic separator LAURILA
  • Universal laboratory magnetic separator JONES
  • Magnetohydrostatic separator MHR-1 (separation in ferrofluid)
  • Magnetohydrostatic separator FGS-2 (separation in ferrofluid)
  • Electrostatic corona separator STURTEVANT – O.H.

 
10. DEVICES FOR PARTICULATE MATTERS SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS

  • Programmable automatic samplers with accessories for sampling of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, TSP) and pollutants in ambient air (Digitel DH77, Echo High Volume Tecora, Leckel MVS6, Bravo Tecora PM)
  • Personal samplers with accessories for air sampling in the working environment (Apex Casella)
  • Portable laser aerosol spectrometer Grimm 1109

 
11. OTHER LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

  • Microwave ovens Panasonic NN 5251B (900 W, 2450 MHz), Panasonic NE-3240 (1800W, 2450 MHz), Whirlpool AVM 434 – modified (850 W, 2450 MHz)
  • Microwave generator MWG3K-08
  • Microwave decomposition system MWS-3 (Berghof)
  • Laboratory drying oven Ecocell
  • Laboratory drying oven Venticell
  • Laboratory vacuum drying oven Vacucell
  • Rotary vacuum evaporator INGOS
  • Centrifuge Mikro 200 R with cooling
  • Centrifuge Rotina 380 (Hettich)
  • Centrifuge MPW 310
  • Apparatus for vacuum filtration of atmospheric deposition samples
  • Electrolytic apparatus (electro-chemical degradation of organic pollutants)
  • Titration workstations TitraLab®854 (Radiometer Analytical)
  • Water polishing system Elga-PureLab-Option + Elga PureLab-Ultra for preparation of 18.2MΩ ultrapure water
  • Mohr´s balance for determination of heavy liquids density
  • Moisture meter GREISINGER GHH91 (powdered materials, wood) with correcting thermometer and humidity meter GFTH95 (ambient air)
  • Contactless thermometer Raytek
  • Teslameter Tesla 706509
  • pH meters
  • Densitometers
  • Analytical scales
  • Laboratory shakers
  • Magnetic stirrers
  • Power ultrasound homogenizer
  • Ultrasonic bath Tesla
  • Ultrasonic bath Fritsch
  • Water bath LAZNIA LW-4
  • Digestors