Acquisition of Nano-Indentation and Nano-Imaging Facility for Interdisciplinary Materials Research and Training Environments

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9977174VohraUsing funds from the Major Research Instrumentation program, the University of Alabama at Birmingham will acquire a nano-indentation and nano-imaging facility, consisting of a nano-hardness tester and an atomic force microscope. This facility will be employed in the interdisciplinary research dealing with ultra hard thin film coatings for field emission display devices and tribological applications; indentation tests in composites, surface induced polymerization for nanocomposites and organic-inorganic nanoparticle composite films. The training of graduate students in interdisciplinary joint projects among the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials and Mechanical Engineering within the university will be a strong focus of this facility. In addition, during summer every year, this facility will be employed in the Research Experiences for Undergraduate projects. Nano-science is considered to be the next revolution in materials research with wide-ranging applications in physics, chemistry, and biosciences. The instruments making up this facility, funded by the Major Research Instrumentation program, will enhance the research infrastructure at the university and provide an excellent learning experience for both graduate and undergraduate students.