Acquisition of an Analytical Ultracentrifuge and a High Temperature Gel Permeation Chromatograph for Research and Education in Polymer Science and Engineering

该合同将为采购两台分析仪器提供部分支持，一台是高温GPC（凝胶渗透色谱），另一台是分析超离心机。这些仪器将被添加到马萨诸塞大学阿姆赫斯特分校聚合物科学与工程系新创建的“分子量表征”设施中，并将允许他们确定甚至“问题”聚合物的分子量，例如自缔合聚合物，在经典条件下难溶的聚合物（即，在室温下在有机溶剂中）和水溶性聚合物。共同项目负责人（四个主要用户和三个次要用户）在聚合物合成、生物材料和聚合物表征领域有研究项目，这些研究项目在研究部分进行了总结，并将从直接访问这些仪器中受益匪浅。新设施的管理规则与目前的材料研究科学与工程中心相同——聚合物科学与工程设施，可以完全访问马萨诸塞大学大约25个研究小组，他们对聚合物材料领域的研究感兴趣（聚合物科学与工程系、化学系、物理系和化学工程系）。分子生物学项目的研究人员也可以使用超离心机。这两种工具将通过其中一名未成年用户的参与，为该国其他地方的研究方案的成功作出贡献，特别是在霍华德大学。该设备将被整合到各级学生的教育计划中（即研究生和本科生，高中外展和K-12课程）。这些仪器还将用于美国麻省材料研究科学与工程中心支持的研讨会，在那里K-12教师学习如何将聚合物科学和工程概念引入课堂课程。该仪器将用于麻省大学和霍华德大学的聚合物科学与工程研究和教育活动

9975762PenelleThis award will provide partial support for the acquisition of two analytical instruments, a high-temperature GPC (gel permeation chromatography) and an analytical ultracentrifuge. These instruments will be added to a newly created 'molecular weight characterization' facility hosted by the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering at Univeristy of Massachussetts, Amherst, and will allow them to determine molecular weights even for "problem" polymers such as self-associating polymers, polymers poorly soluble under classical conditions (i.e., in an organic solvent at room temperature) and water-soluble polymers. The co-PIs (four main users and three minor users) have research projects in the field of polymer synthesis, biomaterials, and polymer characterization that are summarized in the research section and will strongly benefit from a direct access to these instruments.The new facility is administered under the same rules as the current Materials Research Science and Engineering Center - Polymer Science & Engineering facilities, with full access to the about twenty-five research groups at the University of Massachusetts with research interests in the field of polymeric materials (Departments of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and Chemical Engineering). Access to the ultracentrifuge will also be provided to researchers in the Molecular Biology program. Both instruments will contribute to the success of research programs at other places in the country, in particular at Howard University via the participation of one of the minor users.The equipment will be integrated into the educational programs of students at all levels (i.e., graduate and undergraduate, high school outreach, and K-12 programs). The instruments will also be used in the U. of Massachusetts Materials Research Science and Engineering Center supported workshops, where K-12 teachers learn how to introduce polymer science and engineering concepts into their classroom curricula.%%%The instrumentation will be used for polymer science and engineering research and educational activities at University of Massachusetts and Howard University.***