Acquisition of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer for Molecular Thin Film Research and Education.

该奖项来自材料研究部材料研究仪器项目，将允许西北大学获得一种新的傅立叶变换红外光谱仪（FTIR）仪器，用于材料科学与工程系、化学工程系和化学系的研究和教育。拟议中的FTIR仪器将取代目前过时的设备，并将被安置在材料科学系的聚合物表征设施中。该仪器将由两个模块组成：一个是传统的交钥匙FTIR光谱仪，带有一系列用于标准光谱技术的附件，另一个是高度可定制的模块，专门用于测量有机分子超薄膜中的分子结构。前者将使仪器更容易为西北大学的广大研究人员所用，而后者将允许在更困难的样品中测量分子构象，特别是在生物材料和纳米材料研究中。该仪器将通过在为工程本科生提供的高分子材料课程的实验室部分以及通过化学系提供的光谱学课程中使用，促进所有三个系的本科生和研究生的培训。光谱仪的更先进的功能将极大地提高西北大学跨学科生物和纳米材料研究的学生的能力，以阐明和理解样品中分子水平的结构细节。这份来自材料研究部材料研究仪器项目的合同将允许西北大学获得一台用于研究和教育的新型傅里叶变换红外光谱仪（FTIR）。该仪器将被安置在材料科学与工程系的聚合物表征设施中，并将用于表征西北大学研究人员制备的新型聚合物、生物和纳米材料。特别是，它将能够测量在固体和液体表面沉积的极薄（只有几个分子厚）薄膜中的分子的方向、形状和排列。这样的薄膜在创造用于生物技术和纳米科学应用的新材料方面通常是至关重要的，例如，控制生物材料与生物组织的相互作用，或者能够精确测量气体或液体中存在的微量物质的纳米级传感器的工作。该仪器将用于西北大学目前为理工科学生开设的几门课程的教学中。此外，本科生和研究生水平的学生将使用该仪器进行研究，提高他们作为未来科学和工程劳动力成员的培训质量和范围。

The award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research Program in the Division of Materials Research will allow Northwestern University to acquire a new Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) Instrument for research and education in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry. The proposed FTIR instrument will replace the current outdated equipment and will be housed in the Polymer Characterization Facility of the Materials Science department. The instrument will consist of two modules: a conventional turn-key FTIR spectrometer with an array of attachments for standard spectroscopic techniques, and a highly customizable module specifically designed for measurements of molecular structure in ultra-thin films of organic molecules. The former will make the instrument easily useful to a broad audience of Northwestern researchers, while the latter will allow measurements of molecular conformations in more difficult samples, especially in biomaterials and nanomaterials research. The instrument will facilitate the training of undergraduate and graduate students in all three departments, by being utilized in laboratory sections of polymer materials class offered to the engineering undergraduate students, and a spectroscopy class offered through the chemistry department. The more advanced capabilities of the spectrometer will greatly advance the ability of students involved in the interdisciplinary bio- and nanomaterials research at Northwestern to elucidate and understand the molecular-level details of structure in their samples.%%%The award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research Program in the Division of Materials Research will allow Northwestern University to acquire a new Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) Instrument for research and education. The instrument will be housed in the Polymer Characterization Facility in the Materials Science and Engineering department, and will be used to characterize new polymeric, biological and nanomaterials prepared by researchers at Northwestern. In particular, it will enable measurements of the orientation, shape, and arrangement of molecules in extremely thin (just a few molecules thick) films deposited on the surfaces of solids and liquids. Such films are often critical in creating the new materials for biotechnology and nanoscience applications, governing, for example, the interactions of biomaterials with biological tissues, or the workings of nanoscale sensors capable of precisely measuring minute quantities of substances present in a gas or a liquid. The instrument will be used in instruction for several classes currently taught to science and engineering students at Northwestern. Moreover, students of the undergraduate and graduate levels will use the instrument for their research, improving the quality and scope of their training as future members of the science and engineering workforce.