Acquistion of a Multifrequency Phase/Modulation Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer Upgrade

Suny College At Brockport, Brockport NY

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Acquisition Program, the Department of Chemistry at SUNY College at Brockport will acquire a multifrequency phase modulation module to upgrade a fluorescence spectrometer in order to measure the time response of fluorescence emission. This will be used to conduct research on the interactions between phosphonium ionic liquids with fluorophores and with supercritical fluids. Other experiments will study oxygen diffusion in ionic liquids. Time resolved fluorescent spectroscopy experiments will be performed on heterogeneous soft materials and on the interaction of DNA with dyes. A spectrofluorometer measures the light emitted from a sample after it is excited by visible or ultraviolet radiation at a given frequency or energy. The frequency and intensity of the emitted fluorescence signal provides information on the structure and dynamics of the substance being irradiated. This upgrade to a steady state fluorimeter will allow studies on the time response of the emitted signal to provide insight on the dynamics of solvation and rotational diffusion of molecules in a solvent. The instrument will also enhance teaching and research of undergraduates at SUNY Brockport. It will be made available to eight other institutions involved in the Greater Rochester (NY) Undergraduate Research Alliance including two community colleges.