About the Course

The Advanced Certificate Programme in Laboratory Technology was inaugurated in October 1998. The minimum period required for this two credit programme offered at Level 3 is one academic year.

Aims & Objectives (PSC2322)

a. To familiarise students with the basic infrastructure facilities available in 
    science laboratories.
b. To train them in the operation and maintenance of scientific apparatus and
    instruments.
c. To enable them to develop skills in common laboratory techniques in Science
    and Technology.
d. To impart knowledge regarding the basis of organization, management,
    maintenance and safety methods suitable    for laboratories.
e. To prepare students to be able personnel in the functioning of laboratories.

The course materials belonging to this course are

Volume I - Solutions and Their Preparations
Volume II - Preparative Techniques
Volume III - Filtration
Volume IV - Centrifugation
Volume V - The Principles and Techniques of Distillation
Volume VI - Recrystallization and Melting Point Determination
Volume VII - Chromatography
Volume VIII - Glassworking Techniques: Introduction and Theory
Volume IX Glassworking Techniques: Tools and Practicals 1-8
Volume X - Glassworking Techniques: Gas Burners and Practicals 9-14

Volume I - Solutions and Their Preparations

 Water, Solutions: An Introduction, Solutions: Concentration, Preparation of Solutions, Assignment Preparation of Solutions

Volume II - Preparative Techniques

 Heating and Agitation, Refluxing, Controlled Addition of a Reagent

Volume III - Filtration

Choosing Techniques and Filter Media,  Filter Paper,  Folding Circular Filter Paper,  A Simple Filtration,  Washing the Residue,  Reduced Pressure Filtration,  The Filtration,  Small Scale Methods, Safety,. Conclusion

Volume IV - Centrifugation

Centrifuges, Centrifuge Operation, Conclusion,Practical Application of Centrifugation

Volume V - The Principles and Techniques of Distillation

Boiling Point and Vapour Pressure,  Liquid Mixtures,  Ideal Solutions,.  A Simple Distillation Apparatus,.  Assembling and Using a Simple Distillation Unit,  Fractional Distillation,.  Laboratory Fractionation,Columns,  Assembling and Using a Fractional Distillation Unit,. Situations where Fractional Distillation does not Produce Pure Components, Azeotropic Mixtures, Determination of Boiling Point

Volume VI - Recrystallization and Melting Point Determination

Requirements for Recrystallization,  Choice of Solvent and Precautions with Flammable Solvents,. Inducing Crystallization, Carrying Out Recrystallization, Crystal Drying and Melting Point Determination,. Mixed Melting Point Method for Determining Identity and Purity, Purification of Contaminated Aspirin,Small-scale Preparation of Triiodomethane,Preparation of Benzoic Acid by Hydrolysis of Ethyl Benxoate

Volume VII - Chromatography

Introduction to Chromatography, Thin Layer Chromatography, Assignment Thin-Layer Chromatography

Volume VIII - Glassworking Techniques Introduction and Theroy

Laboratory Glass, Possible Hazards from Glass, The Vernier Caliper, Eye Protection

Volume IX - Glassworking Techniques: Tools and Practicals 1-8

Tools, Preparation Assignment,: Cutting Glass, Flame Polishing, Use of Carbon Blocks, Blowing Bulbs
Preparative Exercise: Hand Positions, Bending Narrow Bore Tubing, Pulling Points, Joining Tubes of Equal Diameter, Blowing a Bulb in the Middle of a Tube, The Construction of a Hot Wire Glass Cutter

Volume X - Glassworking Techniques: Gas Burners and Practicals 9-14

Fuel Gases, Burners, Health and Safety Aspects of Fuel Gases, Operating a Premixing Burner, Forming a Test-tube End, Rimming and Flanging, Joining Tubing of Equal (and Small) Diameter, Joining Tubing of Unequal Diameter, Making a T-joint, Annealing - The Removal of Strain