Facilities & Instrumentation
The Department of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University provides researchers with access to a wide range of advanced instrumentation and interdisciplinary facilities. These resources support cutting‑edge research across analytical, synthetic, physical, and materials chemistry. Our facilities serve not only Chemistry faculty, staff, and students, but also collaborators across the university and external researchers.
Core Facilities
Center for Molecular Analysis (CMA)
The Center for Molecular Analysis houses high‑performance analytical instrumentation for molecular characterization. Instruments within CMA are available to all CMU departments, centers, and approved external users.
visit the CMA PagE for details on training requirements and current user ratesNuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility
The NMR Facility offers a suite of state‑of‑the‑art nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers suitable for structural elucidation and dynamics studies in chemistry, materials science, and biological systems.
Training information, scheduling policies and user rates are available on the NMR Facility page
Shared Department Instrumentation
In addition to core facilities, the Department of Chemistry supports a broad range of instruments located within research groups and shared with the department. These tools enhance both synthetic and physical chemistry research capabilities. Shared instruments include:
- Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer and High Resolution Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Donahue group)
- X-band IBM ER-300 EPR spectrophotometer with both X-band bridge and liquid nitrogen and liquid helium low-temperature capabilities (Hendrich group)
- Surface Plasmon Resonance and Calorimetry (Armitage group)
- DNA/RNA solid phase synthesizer (Das group)
- Photoreactor (Bernhard group)
- Solar cell fabrication/testing station; Atomic Force Microscopy; SAXS for Nanostructured Characterization (Kowalewski group)
Research Center Facilities
Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST)
Advancing research in nucleic acid chemistry, biology, and engineering.
Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center (MBIC)
Supporting development of novel biosensors, imaging probes, and instrumentation.
Shared University Facilities
Chemistry researchers also have access to cutting‑edge instrumentation and fabrication capabilities across the university:
- Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe)
- Equipment Materials Characterization Facility
Tools for nanoscale and bulk material analysis. - Nanofabrication Facility Cleanroom and lithography resources for micro‑ and nanoscale device fabrication.
- PPG Industries CPS Laboratory Facilities Shared equipment supporting coatings, polymers, and surface science research.
Undergraduate Lab Facilities
Learn more about where our undergraduate chemistry students learn, experiment, discover and innovate. Undergraduate Lab Facilities
Contact Us
For details about instrument access, required training, scheduling, and usage rates, please refer to each center or facility’s dedicated webpage or contact the Department of Chemistry for assistance.