Laboratory equipment
Our laboratories combine several hundred square metres of laboratory space with equipment and measuring systems worth several million euros across the entire value chain from bioresource pretreatment and biotransformation to a wide range of purification technologies. Specialities include organosolv equipment on a scale of 80 mL - 50 L, mechanical methods ranging from granulators and planetary ball mills to high-pressure homogenisation. Various standard bioreactors are supplemented by our own designs, such as airlift or hydrogen reactors. All common methods are available for bioseparation; specialities include supercritical systems (scCO2), liquid-liquid centrifuges, automated cross-flow filtration and multi-column FPLC.
In the field of analytical technology, a wide range of optical methods (NIR, NIR, UV/Vis, fluorescence, elemental analysis) are available in addition to various HPLCs for sugars, proteins or amino acids. In addition, several chromatographs with MS analysers, DSC, TGA, PSA and much more.
Analysis technology
- Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) with autosampler
- HPLC analysis (PDA, UV/Vis, fluorescence, refractive index)
- Saccharides, fatty acids, alcohols, proteins, amino acids
- HPLC-MS-GC analysis
- Supercritical HPLC (scHPLC) with diode array detector
- GC-WLD-FIR and GC-MS analysis
- ATR-MIR, NIR spectrometer incl. MIR and NIR glass fibre probes
- Elemental analysis C, H, N, S
- Various spectrometers (Peltier-controlled, MTP, fluorescence, glass fibre probes...)
- Online gas flow and gas composition
- Multi-detector, multi-column gas chromatography for hydrogen, biomolecules, etc.
- Particle analyser (PSA) 10 nm - 2 mm, emulsion/separation analysis
- Digital microscope (Köhler, phase contrast, incident and transmitted light...)
- Fluorescence microscope
- Analysis sieve classification (wet/dry)
- Online ultrasonic viscometer (also for small volumes), dynamic rheometry
- Density measurement, refractometry, etc.
- Picolitre dispensing system for the application of the smallest hydrogels, organic 3D printing, etc.
Pre-treatment process
- Stirred high-pressure reactor (50 L) for Organosolv, Acetosolv, Liquid Hot Water (LHW) etc
- Stirred high-pressure reactor (7.5 litres)
- SupercriticalCO2 extraction unit for carboxylic acids, flavourings, etc.
- Automated microwave digestion with 24-sample autosampler
- Knife mill, grinding mill and chopper
- Planetary ball mill for colloids, pastes, nanoparticles
- Rotary granulator for >40 kg/h biomaterials
- Convective rapid dryer with online analytics
- Green waste screw press
Purification
- Preparative automated chromatography (FPLCs) with screeing and scouting system, multi-column capability, pH value control, multi-gradients in the cooling laboratory
- Automated micro-, ultra- and nanofiltration (crossflow) with control unit for diafiltrations
- Automatic 4-fold solids extraction unit for supercritical fluids
- Hollow fibre ultrafiltration modules
- Plate and cartridge filtration
- Agitator bead mills for cell disruption and particle synthesis
- High-pressure homogeniser for cell disruption and emulsion production
- High gradient magnetic separators
- Rectification and extraction columns (bell bottom, sieve, packing)
- Various (cooling) centrifuges up to 2 litres
Conversion process and reactors
- 5 automated bioreactors 2 - 10 litres
- Automated cooled sample collection from the bioreactors
- Torque-controlled hydrolysis reactor with online analysis
- Airlift and overturn reactors
- Constant climate chambers
- Heating incubators with rotary mixers
- Temperature-controlled wavebag mixing platform
- Magnetic microreactor platform
