Materials Characterization Core (MCC) is a user-friendly working place which welcomes all users no matter whether they are from Yale, other educational organizations or industries.
Gaining access to MCC is authorized by Dr. Li. ONLY authorized users are allowed to use MCC facilities. These users must have a valid account number, receive adequate training (about safety, instrument, chemicals and emergency), and follow facility rules and standard operation procedures. A serious violation or three small violations of facility rules will result in denial of access to the center.
Technical assistance may be provided in the core to all users. Those who may need to get access to the facilities frequently are required to operate the instruments by themselves.
Users agree that experimental results obtained by MCC instruments may be used for educational purposes and facility promotion. MCC facilities need to be properly acknowledged when reporting the results obtained by MCC instruments. MCC staff and lab assistants need to be acknowledged as well if technical assistance is provided. A standard statement may be similar to “XXX (XPS, SEM, XRD) work was carried out with assistance of XXX (staff or lab assistants) at Yale West Campus Materials Characterization Core.”
Users need to inform Dr. Li for all publications and forward a copy in PDF format to him. Users need to inform Dr. Li about any significant results or breakthroughs. They may be reported on MCC websites or included in MCC image gallery.
Users who need to use instruments must set up an account properly before training. Please register online and then inform Dr. Li (email preferred) on project goals, samples, the needed instruments, and previous experience with using the instruments. They will be trained and certified by Dr. Li or lab assistants. Only certified users are allowed to operate the instruments independently. Training on major instruments is performed by Dr. Li. Training on small instruments may be carried out by lab assistants. New users may stay with authorized users in a lab, but no user to user training is allowed.
All lab users must complete Safety Training Requirements, receive adequate safety training, and follow safety procedures to use instruments and chemicals.
Lab users must obtain a certificate for Core Lab Safety training from EH&S. XPS, XRF and XRD users must receive a certificate for Radiation Safety training and a radiation dosimeter badge from EH&S. Users who use chemicals must receive a certificate for CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN training from EH&S. In addition, all users must receive Safety on Site (SOS) training from MCC safety representative before they may use the center. Users must follow proper procedures to deal with nanomaterials and chemical wastes. Using chemicals in MCC is allowed only from 9am to 6pm when a second user is around.
All other standard safety rules for chemical and electrical laboratories must be observed at all times.
Cellular phones and other radio devices that induce magnetic fluctuations to instruments especially to SEM are prohibited in the core.
Smoking and having food are prohibited in MCC. Only bottled water may be brought in and must be left at the designated area. Without Dr. Li’s permission, drinking is not allowed in the core except in the designated areas.
For security reason, the entrance door is closed all the times except when some users are around. Users may use their own ID cards only to get access to the center. They should not let other people use their cards. All access information is recorded. The card owner is responsible for consequences resulted from any misuse of the card. Users should not allow unfamiliar person to enter into the center. Make sure that the door is closed when leaving the center late. Expensive personal items should not be brought into MCC. The Center and its personnel are not responsible for the loss of personal properties.
Read/understand reservation and recharge policy and follow the rules and procedures to reserve and use the instruments.
Reserve instrument time before using the instrument.
Enable the instrument computer using the ??? lab management software when a session starts and disable the instrument computer when a session ends.
Users must report instrumental problem on the login sheet and contact Dr. Li. Users should not leave the lab till an urgent problem is reported and dealt with properly.
Users of the facility are required to help maintain the facility.
For training on the Materials Characterization Core facility, please contact Dr. Min Li by email (preferred) or phone at (203) 737-8270