The RFP is an invitation to submit offers for the provision of equipment for performing GPC/SEC analysis for the newly formed WearBioTech facility to produce the next generation of smart interactive wearable devices, as further described in Appendix D – RFP Particulars.
Research overview
This unit will be used by a variety of users that synthesize and purchase a variety of linear or branching polymers including homo, di, block, and dendron/dendrimers that could create micelles, vesicles, or other self-assembled architectures. Systems that are highly versatile in single units that automate the more technical aspects of the system (such as switching columns) would be preferred. Low solvent usage and (semi)micro systems would be ideal to reduce both waste and footprint of the system. A system that is capable of determining absolute molecular weight is required and ideally a variety of detectors would be included to allow the most amount of data to be obtained through the use of this system with fundamental scientists to applied material scientists and engineers.
Materials could include linear polymers such as polyamides, polyethers, polyesters, polyethylene/hydrocarbon backbones, etc. and could also include functional groups including ionic substituents (ammonium/phosphonium), thiols, complexed metals, etc.
The main users of the GPC will be trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels and access will be available to industrial users. Common users should be able to operate the system with minimal training, while the majority of the maintenance will be completed by a trained equipment manager and therefore the equipment should be robust and durable with ease of maintenance.
