Collaborations

 

 

Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ works closely with Agilent Technologies through a collaboration agreement signed with the support of our EPFL Tech Transfer Office (EPFL-TTO).

The projects pursued and carried out within the framework of this collaboration are

  • The complete integration of the Agilent instrumentation in the planning architecture of our laboratory,
  • The elaboration of a standard data format based on the ASM architecture of the Allotrope Foundation,
  • The progressive development of the robotic interface for the scientific equipment.

Website of Agilent

    
       
 
Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ collaborates with Advanced Microfluidics SA (AMF) in the development of automated multiple fluidic and microfluidic applications.
Notably, AMF is developing an automated low volume multiplexing fluidic system connecting online three reactors with a Bruker Fourier 80 benchtop NMR, including online solid phase extraction (SPE) for deuterated solvent. This unique strategy allows to use a single benchtop NMR spectrometer, in combination with an ATR-probe FT-IR spectrometer, to study the kinetic of up to six reactions in parallel in an automated manner. 
 
 
                                         
   

Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ collaborates closely with Bruker Switzerland AG, through an agreement signed with the support of our EPFL Tech Transfer Office (EPFL-TTO).

The projects followed and executed in the context of this collaboration are:

  • the development of an entirely automated high-resolution 400 MHz NMR setup using a Bruker SampleJetTM Autosampler for highsample throughput
  • co-development of a strategy and adequate technology for a multiplexed benchtop NMR spectrometer setup allowing for the kinetic analysis of up to six parallel reactions.
  • a concept definition for a centralized software control and rational data recovery for multiple instruments.

Website of Bruker Switzerland AG

                 

Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ is collaborating with Chemspeed Technologies AG in Füllinsdorf (Switzerland) on the development of an ensemble of automated synthesis platforms. In this context, Chemspeed is providing us with three adapted SWING XL modules (catalysts synthesis, testing and analytical sample preparation platforms), developing several new specialized tools and supporting us in the global IT integration of its platforms in the laboratory orchestration. Chemspeed is also helping us, in collaboration with HEIG-VD and the DEC Group, to develop a new micro-sampling system for solids as part of an Innosuisse project.

Website of Chemspeed

         

Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ is collaborating with Dietrich Consultants SA (DEC Group) in Ecublens (Switzerland) on the development of a complete solid micro-sampling system under inert conditions. In particular, DEC is developing an automated standardization platform to transfer commercial chemicals to gram scale standard flasks. DEC is also developing a unique solid micro-sampling system with us, HEIG-VD and Chemspeed as part of an Innosuisse project.

Website of DEC-Group

Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ collaborates closely with the Haute Ecole d’Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD) for automation developments. 

The projects followed and executed in the context of this collaboration relate to new methods for automating solid sampling under inert conditions. In this context, in 2022, EPFL Swiss CAT+ & HEIG-VD received, in collaboration with Dietrich Engineering Group SA (DEC) and Chemspeed Technologies AG as implementations partners, an Innosuisse fund („STORMS – STOchastic Robotized Micro Sampling“ no. 102.153 IP-ENG) for a duration of 3 years. 

A joint patent was registered in 2022 in the context of the same project :  F. de Nanteuil, E. Mariano, M. Kunze, P. Miéville – Substance preparation method and system, 22215745.5EP. 

Several HEIG-VD Bachelor projects in automation were also conducted in the Swiss CAT+ laboratory. 
 

Website of HEIG-VD

 
 
 
Catalysis West Hub – Swiss Cat+ collaborates strongly with Mestrelab Research in the development of a new way to support chemists to pilot our entirely automated laboratory. For this the two partners develop jointly the entry point of the Swiss CAT+ IT infrastructure through a new generation of chemistry software called Human-Computer-Interface (HCI). The HCI will become the interface between the chemist and the laboratory scheduler (link to developments). In addition, the Mnova and Mgear software will be used as a base for the Data Processor needed to treat automatically the raw data and to export them into the open-access database.