Usage Policy

BOKU Core Facility Analysis of Lignocellulosics (ALICE)

Access to the BOKU Core Facility Analysis of Lignocellulosics (ALICE) is regulated by the official Usage Policy. The facility offers analytical services for the characterization of lignocellulosic materials in two modes:

• trained user mode, allowing independent operation after successful training
• full-service mode, where experiments are performed by experienced ALICE staff.

Usage Conditions and Pricing Policy

All users must complete required training and sign the full Usage Policy document before accessing any equipment. Instrument time is managed via the Stratocore (PPMS) booking system on a first-come, first-served basis. Proper sample quality, responsible instrument handling, and data management according to facility guidelines are mandatory. Users are responsible for transferring and securely storing their data after analysis.

Service fees are defined separately for internal (BOKU) and external users. Publications or presentations containing data generated at ALICE must acknowledge the facility, and substantial staff contributions should be recognized through co-authorship.

List of Instrumentation

Chromatography and Molar Mass Analysis:

• SEC/MALS(488nm)/RI/FL in DMAc/LiCl
• SEC/MALS(785nm)/RI/DAD in DMSO/LiBr
• SEC/DAD Thermo Dionex UltiMate 3000 in aqueous-based solvents with optional MALS(685nm or 785nm) and/or RI detection
• Asymmetric flow field flow fractionation Waters|Wyatt AF4-Eclipse®/MALS(685nm)/RI
• Viscometer Waters|Wyatt Viscostar® for online and batch analysis
• Dynamic light scattering for online and batch R_h measurements Waters|Wyatt Dynapro® Nanostar® DLS
• Ultra-performance liquid chromatography Waters Aquity® APC/RI/PDA

Analytics (LC)

• 2D-LC Agilent Infinity II with two-dimensional HIC (hydrophobic interaction chromatography) and SEC separation
• Ion chromatography Metrohm
• UHPLC Waters Acquity® UPC2
• UPLC Waters Acquity® I-Class

Analytics (GC)

• GC-FID (1)
• GC-FID (2)
• GC-MS-ARC-FID (1) Headspace sampler
• GC-MS-ARC-FID (1) PAL-RTC sampler
• GC-MS-ARC-FID (2) Combi PAL
• GC-MS-ARC-FID (2) Pyrolysis

Analytics (MS)

• Quadrupole Time-of-Flight high-resolution mass spectrometer Waters qTof Xevo® G2

Analytics (spectroscopy)

• FTIR Brucker Invenio X
• Solid State NMR Brucker 400 MHz

Sample preparation & processing

• Accelerated Solvent Extractor Thermo Dionex™ ASE350
• Climate chamber
• Planetary ball mill Pulverisette 5
• Retsch Cryomill
• Supercritical carbon dioxide scCO₂ extraction unit
• Sieving machine

Contact

For general inquires, including service requests, quotations, or training appointments, please contact:

alice(at)boku.ac.at