Hotohke
Hotohke is a cluster of 12 dual-processor X-serve nodes and one dual-processor X-serve head node purchased in 2005 from Apple. The cluster has been configured for conducting parallel jobs. We employ hotohke to debug our Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics codes. Production runs, which require several undreds of processors in parallel, are conducted at the Oklahoma Supercomputer Center for Education and Research (OSCER), located in Norman, OK, and at NERSC, Berkeley.
Quartz Crystal Microbalance - QCM-D
This accurate QCM instrument, purchased in 2005 from Q-Sense, allows us to measure simultaneously the adsorption of macromolecules from solution on 4 different surfaces. The surfaces are obtained by covering quartz crystals with desired materials. These experiments require extreme caution in preparing and cleaning the samples, as well as in maintaining the instrument at constant temperature and free from oscillations.
Tribometer
In 2007 we purchased this ball-and-plate tribometer, model , from . The instrument allows us to measure friction coefficient between a rotating flat surface and a metal ball. We can conduct these experiments in air, but also in solution. We are currently measuring the friction between bovine cartilage surfaces in the presence of 'molecular lubricants'.
Ellipsometer
This old but functional instrument allows us to measure the thickness of organic films deposited on silicon dioxide surfaces. Combined with results obtained from our QCM experiments, this information allows us to assess the composition of organic films (e.g., how much solvent is trapped within a film of proteins deposited on silicon dioxide?)
Light Scattering
In 2006 we purchased this light-scattering apparatus from BIC Instruments. It allows us to measure osmotic second virial coefficients between macromolecules (e.g., proteins or colloidal particles) in bulk solution. This information is crucial for validating our simulations for the effective interactions between colloids, and thus allows us to understand the driving forces for self-assembly phenomena.
Office Space
Granted: it's not big! But hey, it sure is bright...