Rates listed below are as of July 1, 2026, and include access to Soft Matter Characterization Facility (SMCF) instrumentation, incidental supplies, and staff support/consultation during business hours. Consumables are to be provided by user but can potentially be obtained from the SMCF at pass-through cost.
University of Chicago affiliates are users from Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Northwestern University.
Instrument/Service | Internal or UofC Affiliate (as of 7/1/26)
| External Non-profit (as of 7/1/26) | External Industry (as of 7/1/26) |
Differential scanning calorimeter (TA Instruments Discovery 2500) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
Thermogravimetric analyzer (TA Instruments Discovery) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
Thermogravimetric analyzer (TA Instruments TGA 5500) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
Dynamic mechanical analyzer (TA Instruments RSA-G2) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
Strain-controlled shear rheometer (TA Instruments ARES-G2) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
Stress-controlled shear rheometer (TA Instruments Discovery HR-30) | $9/hr | $12/hr | $45/hr |
UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV3600 Plus) | $12/hr | $17/hr | $71/hr |
FTIR spectrophotometer (Shimadzu IRTracer-100 with ATR) | $12/hr | $17/hr | $71/hr |
Tensile testing (Zwick-Roell zwickiLine Z0.5) | $12/hr | $17/hr | $65/hr |
Dynamic/electrophoretic light scattering (Wyatt Mobius) | $16/hr | $22/hr | $75/hr |
| SEC-MALS (THF): UV-VIS (Shimadzu), 18 angle MALS, viscometer, RI (Wyatt Technology) | $17/hr | $23/hr | $75/hr |
SEC-MALS High T (TCB): 8 angle MALS (Wyatt-HT) and RI detection (Tosoh EcoSEC-HT) | $17/hr | $23/hr | $75/hr |
SEC-MALS (DMF): 3 angle MALS (Wyatt), UV and RI detection (Tosoh EcoSEC) | $17/hr | $23/hr | $75/hr |
| Gas Sorption Analysis/BET (Micromeritics 3Flex) | $4/hr | $6/hr | $15/hr |
New Lab User Training/Consulting | $11/hour + instrument fee | $77/hour + instrument fee | $127/hour + instrument fee |