Acquisition of a High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope to Enhance Research and Training in the Nanocharacterization of Materials

这笔赠款用于资助明尼苏达大学购置最先进的高分辨率电子显微镜(HRTEM)，供多个系(化学、化学工程与材料科学、土木工程、电气工程、电气与计算机工程、地质与地球物理、航空航天工程与力学、物理与天文学、土壤、水与气候)的教职员工和学生使用。该仪器配备了场发射枪和能量色散X射线分析、光束扫描、高角度环形暗视野(Z-对比度)成像、低剂量成像和高分辨率相衬成像能力。统一的研究主题研究包括了解纳米尺度的组成、结构和化学键如何影响材料的加工和性能。将从此次收购中受益的研究领域包括纳米颗粒和其他纳米材料的加工和表征、多孔性半导体和金属、纳米管的功能、大气颗粒、晶相和非晶相之间界面的表征、古地磁学和环境地球化学。纳米技术本质上是一个跨学科的领域，需要工程和科学方法。将使用新的HRTEM进行的许多具体研究项目跨越传统学科领域，涉及两个或更多部门的调查人员之间的合作。来自明尼苏达大学五个科学和工程系的教职员工聚集在一起，创建了一个新的学位授予项目，名为“纳米科学与工程”，表明了对跨学科哲学的坚定承诺，并在这一领域培训科学家和工程师。30多名教师、27名博士后和81名学生将可以接触到这种电子显微镜，极大地促进了校园内学生在能力、理论和使用最先进的HRTEM技术方面的教育和培训。除了这群跨学科和跨部门的校园用户外，许多工业用户还表示有兴趣进行合作，将建议的仪器用于数据存储、生物医学研究、纳米技术、绝缘金属基板应用、轮胎和橡胶以及颗粒加工等领域。新的工具将加强UMN集团和这些公司之间的联系，并肯定会为新的合作研究项目打开大门。

This grant provides support for the acquisition of a new state-of-the-art high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) at the University of Minnesota that will be used by faculty and students in several departments (Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Geology and Geophysics, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, Physics and Astronomy, and Soil, Water and Climate). This instrument is equipped with a field-emission gun and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, beam-scanning, high-angle annular-dark-field (Z-contrast) imaging, low-dose imaging, and high-resolution phase-contrast imaging capabilities. The unifying research theme research involves understanding how composition, structure, and chemical bonding at the nanometer length-scale influences the processing and properties of materials. Research areas that will benefit from this acquisition include processing and characterization of nanoparticles and other nanomaterials, porous semiconductors and metals, functionality of nanotubes, atmospheric particles, characterization of interfaces between crystalline and noncrystalline phases, paleomagnetism, and environmental geochemistry.Nanotechnology is inherently an interdisciplinary field, which requires both an engineering and science approach. Many of the specific research projects that will be conducted using the new HRTEM cross traditional discipline areas and involve collaborations between investigators in two or more departments. Faculty from five science and engineering departments at the University of Minnesota came together to create a new degree-granting program entitled "Nanoparticle Science and Engineering," demonstrating a strong commitment to the interdisciplinary philosophy and to training scientists and engineers in this area. More than 30 faculty, 27 postdoctorals, and 81 students will have access to this electron microscope, greatly facilitating the education and training of students on the campus in the capabilities, theory, and use of state-of-the-art HRTEM techniques. In addition to this interdisciplinary and interdivisional group of on-campus users, many industrial users have expressed interest in collaborations that would use the proposed instrumentation for the areas of data storage, biomedical research, nanotechnology, insulated metal substrate applications, tires and rubber, and particle processing. The new instrument will strengthen ties between the UMN groups and these companies and will most certainly open the door for new collaborative research projects.