U.S.-Germany Cooperative Research on the Generation and Characterization of Layered Microparticles

该奖项支持阿西特·雷教授和肯塔基大学的一名美国研究生与德国波鸿鲁尔大学机械工程学院的古斯塔夫·施魏格教授和其他人在化学工程研究方面进行合作。他们共同研究的目标是开发产生精确组成的层状颗粒的技术，并开发层状球体的原位物理和化学表征技术。特别是，他们将专注于涉及光的弹性和非弹性(拉曼)散射的技术，目标是开发一种同时将两者结合起来的技术，以完整地定量表征层状微粒。这里的挑战是小颗粒带来的散射的复杂性。要取得进展，需要一种基于光散射理论和受控实验的计算方法。这项工作的成功在很大程度上依赖于雷博士在弹性散射技术方面的互补专业知识，以及他的德国同事施魏格博士在微粒拉曼光谱方面的专业知识。他们还将利用不同寻常的设施，包括肯塔基大学专门的气溶胶实验室和波鸿施韦格博士最先进的激光光谱学实验室。更好地了解微粒的形成和行为将在许多技术和工艺中立即得到重要的应用。这些包括高纯度陶瓷和薄膜的制造，与污染控制和修复相关的分离技术，许多行业的化学反应过程，甚至大气过程和人造雨的产生。

This award supports Professor Asit Ray and a U.S. graduate student from the University of Kentucky to collaborate in chemical engineering research with Professor Gustav Schweiger and others from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany. The objectives of their joint research are to develop techniques for generation of layered particles of precise composition, and to develop techniques for in situ physical and chemical characterization of layered spheres. In particular, they will focus on techniques involving elastic and inelastic (Raman) scattering of light with the goal of developing a technique that combines the two simultaneously for complete quantitative characterization of layered microparticles. The challenge here is the complexity of scattering introduced by the small size of the particles. Progress will require a computational approach based on light scattering theory and controlled experimentation. The success of the effort relies heavily on the complementary expertise of Dr. Ray in elastic scattering techniques and of his German colleague, Dr. Schweiger, in Raman spectroscopy of microparticles. They will also make use of unusual facilities including the specialized Aerosol Laboratory at the University of Kentucky and the state-of-the-art laser spectroscopy laboratory of Dr. Schweiger in Bochum. Better understanding of the formation and behavior of microparticles will have immediate and important applications in many technologies and processes. These include the manufacture of high purity ceramics and thin films, separation technologies related to pollution control and remediation, chemical reaction processes in many industries, and even atmospheric processes and the generation of artificial rain.