Acquisition of a Nanoindentation System for Multi-disciplinary Research and Education in Nano and Bio-Mechanics of Materials

AbstractA国家的最先进的纳米压痕系统，这是迫切需要支持当前的研究和教学活动在布朗大学在纳米和生物力学的材料领域，将被收购。该设备将用于使用纳米压头进行的高影响力多学科研究活动。拟议的活动涵盖工程、地质科学、物理和生物学以及医学三个领域的广泛方案。该计划包括高影响领域，如力学和机电耦合在碳纳米管，纳米复合材料与对齐的纳米管，生物摩擦表面的力学，表面塑性力学，纳米摩擦学，人类关节疾病的机械方面，具有复杂的微观结构和纳米晶材料的材料。使用主力纳米压痕仪探索如此广泛的应用将提高所有参与研究者的研究生产力。共享和协调使用拟议的多功能工具将扩大所有参与者的研究范围。更重要的是，共享该仪器将促进更多的合作，解决新的科学问题，从而促进协同研究活动和新的方向。拟议的纳米压痕仪的更广泛的影响在于使用它来提供研究培训和教育机会，研究生，本科生，特别是妇女和少数民族，以及鼓励来自代表性不足群体的本科生追求科学和技术事业。在布朗大学目前成功的外展项目的基础上，来自历史上黑人学院和大学的本科生将在拟议的设施中获得夏季研究项目。此外，布朗大学的本科生将获得涉及纳米压痕的研究机会。这些职位的目标将不会使用他们作为技术人员;这将是让他们参与创造性思维和发展过程。将纳米压痕技术纳入实验力学课程的教学内容。拟议的纳米压痕设施将开放给另一个推广计划，教师的研究经验，通过该计划，当地的小学/中学教师将接触到纳米压痕研究，使这些教师在布朗工作时获得的知识也将传播到他们工作的学校，最大限度地发挥仪器的更广泛的影响。

AbstractA state-of-the-art nanoindentation system, which is critically needed to support current research and teaching activities at Brown University in the areas of nano and biomechanics of materials, will be acquired. The equipment will be used for high-impact multi-disciplinary research activities to be conducted using the nanoindenter. The proposed activities cover a wide spectrum of programs in three areas of Engineering, Geological Sciences, Physics and Biology and Medicine. The programs include high impact areas such as the mechanics and the electromechanical coupling in carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites with aligned nanotubes, mechanics of biological friction surfaces, mechanics of surface plasticity, nanotribology, mechanical aspects of human joint disease, materials with complex microstructures and nanocrystalline materials. Exploring such a broad range of applications using a workhorse nanoindenter will enhance the research productivity of all participating investigators. The shared and coordinated use of the proposed multi-functional instrument will broaden the scope of research for all participants. More importantly, the shared access to this instrument will facilitate more collaborations addressing new scientific questions, and thus fostering synergistic research activities and fresh directions.The broader impact of the proposed nanoindenter lies in using it to provide research training and education opportunities to graduate students, undergraduate students, especially women and minorities, and in inspiring undergraduate students from under-represented groups to pursue careers in science and technology. Building on Brown's successful current outreach programs, undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities will be offered summer research projects in the proposed facility. In addition, Brown undergraduate students will be given research opportunities involving nanoindentation. The objective of these positions will not be to use them as technicians; it will be to involve them in creative thinking and development process. Nanoindentation will be added to the teaching curriculum in the course on experimental mechanics. The proposed nanoindentation facility will be open to another outreach program, Research Experience for Teachers, by which the local primary/secondary school teachers will be exposed to nanoindentation research, so that the knowledge gained by these teachers while working at Brown will also spread to the schools in which they work, maximizing the instrument's broader impact.