lab

Laboratory of Physical Geochemistry Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida

Welcome to the virtual home of the Laboratory of Physical Geochemistry at the University of Florida. The laboratory is dedicated to determining basic physical-chemical properties of naturally-occurring solids and aqueous electrolyte solutions and understanding phase relations and temporal behavior of natural systems. Our research involves theoretical investigations of thermodynamic properties of earth materials and reactions, direct experimental observations of thermodynamic properties, reacting systems, and phase relations, and field studies of interactions between aqueous electrolyte solutions, gases, organic matter, and naturally-occurring inorganic solids.

Measured heat capacity of dehydrated natrolite Outcrop of zeolitized basalts, Nuussuaq, West Greenland
(Na₂Al₂Si₃O₁₀) showing prominent second order
(displacive??) phase transition

Facilities/Equipment:

Fully-equipped laboratory for basic handling of solid and aqueous samples

Netsch STA 449C Simultaneous TGA-DSC/DTA capable of high precision mass and heat measurements from -150 to 750 °C

Nikon E600 Polarizing microscope and Olympus binocular microscope, both with digital camera attachment

Pentium IV class computers for data analysis and geochemical modelling.

Furnaces, baths, ovens and acid digestion bombs for experimental investigations

In addition, a variety of analytical techniques are available at UF in the Dept. of Geological Sciences and the Major Analytical Instrumentation Center: X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, thermal ionization mass spectrometry, and electron beam microanalysis.

Personnel

Philip S. Neuhoff
Laura Ruhl (M.S. student)
Jie Wang (M.S., 2006; Ph.D. student)
Gokce Atalan (Ph.D. Student)
Syed Abbas (undergraduate assistant)

Alums

Jane Gustavson (M.S., 2006)
Ryan Francis (M.S.T, 2006)
Scott Keddy (undergrad assistant)
Danika Globukar (undergrad assistant)
Ryan Cameron (undergrad assistant)
Han Zhu (High School research experience)
Alexa Goldman (High School research experience)