Sample Preparation Laboratory

To support the laboratory activities at the Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory as well as other laboratories in the institute a sample preparation laboratory with a dedicated technician is available. The laboratory curates a collection of several hundred planetary analogue materials, including terrestrial minerals and rocks, synthetic materials and meteoritic samples. The sample preparation laboratory is fully equipped with sieving systems, grinders, mortars, balances, an oven (20° to 300 °C), ultra-pure water, wet chemistry materials, a second oven (30° to 3000 °C) for sample treatments, a press to produce pellets (10 and 20 mm in diameter), two large and one medium dry cabinet (moisture < 1%) for sample storage, 3 small exsiccators (moisture < 20%) for sample storage, a rotating device for producing intimate mixtures, a purge gas generator for water and CO₂ free air, liquid-nitrogen tank, an ultrasonic cleaning unit, two microscopes, and an air compressor pistol for cleaning. A new oven is used to reach temperatures between 1200°C and 1300°C in high vacuum (10^-6 mbar).