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

该提案旨在收购最先进的X射线衍射（XRD）系统，一方面，该系统在美国的配置是独一无二的，另一方面，它是一台由经过充分验证的组件组成的强大的多用户机器。该系统将使来自五个机构的20多名教师及其学生能够研究温度依赖的结构特性，包括晶体结构，以及许多无机材料在10 K至900 K温度下的原位磁场和机械载荷引起的结构变化。磁热机械（MTM）表征工具的确切配置被选择有效地支持跨学科的研究和培训需求，在得克萨斯州农工大学（TAMU），以及在该地区（安杰洛州，拉马尔，草原视图农工大学和得克萨斯大学阿灵顿）。该仪器的独特之处在于：在环境室中具有10 K至900 K之间加热/冷却能力的粉末衍射;提供同时相鉴定和晶体织构评估能力的欧拉摇篮（从90 K到900 K）;将现有的微型装置安装在-原位加载阶段，能够施加高达4500 N的拉伸和压缩载荷，并将样品从90 K加热和冷却至900 K;以及施加高达1特斯拉的磁场以跟踪场诱导的结构变化，具有从90 K到900 K的加热冷却能力。拟议的XRD系统支持的具体研究活动包括：1）磁性形状记忆合金的开发、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）大块非晶金属的制造和表征，4）岩石和矿物在高温和高压下的变形和织构，5）硅包合物中的磁性; 6）超细晶粒材料中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中的织构和结构控制;以及8）用于超导和国防应用的铌、Nb 3Sn和钽中的织构控制和晶粒细化，以及用于热电应用的碲化铋中的织构控制和晶粒细化。另一方面，它是一台由经过充分验证的组件组成的强大的多用户机器。该系统将使来自五个机构的20多名教师及其学生能够研究温度依赖的结构特性，包括晶体结构，以及许多无机材料在10 K至900 K温度下的原位磁场和机械载荷引起的结构变化。拟议的XRD系统支持的具体研究活动包括：1）磁性形状记忆合金的开发、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）大块非晶金属的制造和表征，4）岩石和矿物在高温和高压下的变形和织构，5）硅笼形物中的磁性; 6）超细晶粒材料中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中的织构和结构控制;以及8）用于超导和国防应用的铌、Nb 3Sn和钽中的织构控制和晶粒细化，以及用于热电应用的碲化铋中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.