Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for Materials Research and Education

这一行动支持从Veeco仪器购买一台生物显微镜原子力显微镜(AFM)。通过专门设计的平台，允许单独进行AFM成像、单独进行光学表征或结合AFM和光学表征，该仪器将用于研究空气和液体介质中软材料超薄界面层的纳米级结构特性，并确定它们对环境刺激的响应。该仪器还将与光学光谱技术结合使用，以研究材料表面的动态吸附事件。将受益于该仪器能力的一系列项目包括：生物活性纳米颗粒-表面相互作用；对环境敏感的表面受限聚合物层；杂化聚合物层；用于引导组织再生的仿生聚合物基质；细菌细胞与抗菌聚合物膜和发光抗体连接纳米颗粒的黏附。这些项目影响重要的科学领域，如开发新的生物材料；分子阀门和开关等纳米设备；治疗慢性、无法愈合的伤口和受损伤口愈合的有效疗法；抗菌食品包装；以及细菌病原体传感器。原子力显微镜仪器将安置在化学工程系的表面表征实验室。该设施供化学工程、生物工程、化学、环境工程和材料科学与工程的博士后研究人员和研究生和本科生使用。来自食品科学的一个新小组将增加受益于该设施提供的跨学科培训环境的研究人员名单。AFM仪器和设施将向附近与克莱姆森化学工程系有关联的非博士授予学院的教职员工和学生通过研究探索计划提供。原子力显微镜还将有助于将表面表征实验室发展成为先进材料研究领域的最先进设施，这是克莱姆森大学的核心研究主题。

This action supports the purchase of a BioScope Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) from Veeco Instruments. With a specially designed stage that allows for AFM imaging alone, optical characterization alone, or combined AFM and optical characterization, this instrument will be used to study the nanoscale structural properties of ultrathin interfacial layers of soft materials in air and liquid media and determine how they respond to environmental stimuli. This instrument will also be used in combination with optical spectroscopy techniques to study dynamic adsorption events at materials surfaces. A set of projects that will benefit from the capabilities of this instrument include efforts on bioactive nanoparticle-surface interactions; environmentally responsive, surface confined polymer layers; hybrid polymer layers; biomimetic polymer matrices for guided tissue regeneration; and bacterial cell adhesion to antimicrobial polymer films and luminescent, antibody-linked nanoparticles. These projects impact important scientific areas such as the development of new biomaterials; nano-devices such as molecular valves and switches; effective therapies for treating chronic, non-healing wounds and impaired wound healing; antimicrobial food packaging; and sensors for bacterial pathogens. The AFM instrument will be housed in the Surface Characterization Laboratory, located in the Department of Chemical Engineering. This facility is used by post-doctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate students from Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Environmental Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering. A new group from Food Science will add to the list of researchers who benefit from the interdisciplinary training environment that this facility provides. The AFM instrument and facility will be available to faculty and students from nearby non-PhD granting colleges that have an association with Clemson's Department of Chemical Engineering through Research Exploration programs. The AFM will also help to grow the Surface Characterization Laboratory into a state-of-the-art facility in the area of advanced materials research, which is a core research theme of Clemson University.