IMR: Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art X-Ray Diffraction System for Magneto-Thermo-Mechanical Materials Characterization Research and Education

该提案寻求获得最先进的x射线衍射仪（XRD）系统，该系统一方面在美国的配置中是独一无二的，另一方面是由久经考验的组件组成的强大的多用户机器。该系统将使来自5个机构的20多名教师和他们的学生能够研究温度相关的结构特性，包括晶体结构、原位磁场和许多无机材料在10K至900k温度下由机械载荷引起的结构变化。磁热机械（MTM）表征工具的精确配置被选择用于有效地支持德克萨斯农工大学（TAMU）以及该地区（安吉洛州立大学、拉马尔大学、Prairie View农工大学和德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校）的跨学科研究和培训需求。该仪器的独特之处在于：粉末衍射，在环境室中加热/冷却能力在10 K至900 K之间；欧拉摇篮提供同步相识别和晶体结构评价能力（从90k到900k）；附加一个现有的微型原位加载阶段，能够施加高达4500牛顿的拉伸和压缩载荷，并将样品从90 K加热和冷却到900 K；外加高达1特斯拉的磁场，在90k至900k范围内加热冷却，引起轨道结构变化。提议的XRD系统支持的具体研究活动包括：1)磁性形状记忆合金的发展、表征和建模；2)分子纳米磁体、薄膜、新型磁性纳米结构和纳米结构材料、交换耦合纳米复合磁体；3)大块非晶金属的制备和表征；4)高温高压下岩石和矿物的变形和织构；5)硅包合物的磁性；6)超细晶材料的孪晶诱导晶界工程；7)常规（NiTi）、高温（NiTiHf）和铁基形状记忆合金的织构和结构控制；8)超导和国防应用的铌、Nb3Sn和钽以及热电应用的碲化铋的织构控制和晶粒细化。该提案寻求获得最先进的x射线衍射仪（XRD）系统，该系统一方面在美国的配置中是独一无二的，另一方面是由久经考验的组件组成的强大的多用户机器。该系统将使来自5个机构的20多名教师和他们的学生能够研究温度相关的结构特性，包括晶体结构、原位磁场和许多无机材料在10K至900k温度下由机械载荷引起的结构变化。提议的XRD系统支持的具体研究活动包括：1)磁性形状记忆合金的发展、表征和建模；2)分子纳米磁体、薄膜、新型磁性纳米结构和纳米结构材料、交换耦合纳米复合磁体；3)大块非晶金属的制备和表征；4)高温高压下岩石和矿物的变形和织构；5)硅包合物的磁性；6)超细晶材料的孪晶诱导晶界工程；7)常规（NiTi）、高温（NiTiHf）和铁基形状记忆合金的织构和结构控制；8)超导和国防应用的铌、Nb3Sn和钽以及热电应用的碲化铋的织构控制和晶粒细化。

This proposal seeks the acquisition of a state-of-the-art X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) system that is, on the one hand, unique in its configuration in the U.S., and on the other hand, a robust multi-user machine consisting of well-proven components. The system will enable over 20 faculty and their students from five institutions to study temperature-dependent structural properties including crystallographic texture, and in-situ magnetic field and mechanical loading-induced structural changes of many inorganic materials at temperatures from 10K to 900 K. The exact configuration of the magneto-thermo-mechanical (MTM) characterization tools was chosen to effectivelyunderpin interdisciplinary research and training needs at Texas A&M University (TAMU) as well as within the region (Angelo State, Lamar, Prairie View A&M Universities and the University of Texas at Arlington). The unique features of the proposed instrument are: powder diffractometry with heating/cooling capability between 10 K and 900 K in an environmental chamber; Eulerian cradle providing simultaneous phase identification and crystallographic texture evaluation capability (from 90 K to 900 K); attachment of an existing miniature in-situ loading stage capable of applying tensile and compressive loads up to 4500 N and of heating and cooling the samplefrom 90 K up to 900 K; and application of magnetic field up to 1 Tesla to track field induced structural changes with heating cooling capability from 90 K to 900 K. Specific research activities supported by the proposed XRD system include: 1) development, characterization and modeling of magnetic shape memory alloys, 2) molecular nanomagnets, thin films, novel magnetic nanostructures and nanostructured materials, exchange-coupled nanocomposite magnets, 3) fabrication and characterization of bulk amorphous metals, 4) Deformation and texture of rocks and minerals at elevated temperatures and pressures, 5) magnetism in silicon clathrates:, 6) twinning induced grain boundary engineering in ultrafine grained materials, 7) texture and structure control in conventional (NiTi), high temperature (NiTiHf) and iron based shape memory alloys, and 8) texture control and grain refinement in niobium, Nb3Sn and tantalum for superconducting and defense application, and in bismuth telluride for thermoelectric applications.This proposal seeks the acquisition of a state-of-the-art X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) system that is, on the one hand, unique in its configuration in the U.S., and on the other hand, a robust multi-user machine consisting of well-proven components. The system will enable over 20 faculty and their students from five institutions to study temperature-dependent structural properties including crystallographic texture, and in-situ magnetic field and mechanical loading-induced structural changes of many inorganic materials at temperatures from 10K to 900 K. Specific research activities supported by the proposed XRD system include: 1) development, characterization and modeling of magnetic shape memory alloys, 2) molecular nanomagnets, thin films, novel magnetic nanostructures and nanostructured materials, exchange-coupled nanocomposite magnets, 3) fabrication and characterization of bulk amorphous metals, 4) Deformation and texture of rocks and minerals at elevated temperatures and pressures, 5) magnetism in silicon clathrates:, 6) twinning induced grain boundary engineering in ultrafine grained materials, 7) texture and structure control in conventional (NiTi), high temperature (NiTiHf) and iron based shape memory alloys, and 8) texture control and grain refinement in niobium, Nb3Sn and tantalum for superconducting and defense application, and in bismuth telluride for thermoelectric applications.