MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for Undergraduate Research and Education

太平洋路德大学将获得一台新的原子力显微镜（AFM）。该仪器将由一个控制站、一个多模式扫描探针显微镜和两个探针扫描仪组成，以允许垂直样品接触的各种模式采集。这种最先进的原子力显微镜将用于多个本科研究项目，以解决纳米尺度上广泛的科学问题，包括：研究聚合物共混薄膜中使用的各种共聚物添加剂，其中表面拓扑结构和粗糙度的测量将有助于理解聚合物共混物的相容性；脂质膜结合的两亲性阳离子抗菌肽（piscidins）的研究有助于更好地了解piscidins对抗病原体的作用机制；在表面增强拉曼光谱中，聚合金纳米颗粒的形貌与表面增强因子之间的关系。显微镜将被整合到我们的本科课程中，包括一年级到四年级本科生对纳米科学的接触。最后，显微镜还将被纳入我们系为MESA（数学、工程和科学成就）项目中代表性不足的高中生举办的外展研讨会。摘要原子力显微镜提供了在纳米尺度上观察科学样品表面的方法，已成为科学和工程中非常重要的仪器。许多现有的产品以及新材料开发的进展都直接关系到我们对人体尺度上的物体性质与纳米尺度上的结构之间关系的理解。纳米级的物体比一根头发的直径还要小1000倍。原子力显微镜是这项工作的重要仪器之一，因为它可以测量纳米尺度的特征。该显微镜将为太平洋路德大学的化学项目带来第一台纳米科学仪器，并允许本科生动手使用这一重要仪器。新的原子力显微镜将大大提高学生在本科研究项目和课程作业中的经验。该显微镜还将被纳入我们的实验室中为塔科马MESA（数学、工程和科学成就）项目中代表性不足的高中生开设的推广研讨会。最后，使用新仪器的研究项目的例子包括：更好地设计高性能塑料的能力；更好的抗微生物肽，用于对抗多种病原体；开发用于化合物低水平检测的纳米颗粒的方法。

Technical AbstractPacific Lutheran University will acquire a new atomic force microscope (AFM). The instrument will consist of a control station, a multi-mode scanning probe microscope, and two probe scanners to allow various modes of acquisition with vertical sample engagement. This state-of-the-art AFM will be used in multiple undergraduate research programs to address a wide range of scientific questions at the nanoscale, including: the investigation of various copolymer additives used in polymer blend thin films where measurements of the surface topology and roughness will aid in the understanding of compatibilization in polymer blends; the study of lipid membrane-bound amphipathic cationic antimicrobial peptides called piscidins resulting in a better understanding of the mechanism of action used by piscidins against pathogens; the characterization of aggregated gold nanoparticles to correlate morphology with surface enhancement factors for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The microscope will be integrated into our undergraduate curriculum and include exposure to nanoscience by first year through fourth year undergraduate students. Lastly, the microscope will also be incorporated into outreach workshops in our department for underrepresented high school students in the MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement) program.Lay AbstractThe atomic force microscope has become a very important instrument in science and engineering by providing a method to visualize scientific samples on surfaces at the nanoscale. Many current products as well as progress in the development of new materials are directly related to our understanding of the relation between the properties of objects on the human scale compared to structures on the nanoscale. Objects that are on the nanoscale are about 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a hair. The atomic force microscope is one of the important instruments for this work since it can measure nanoscale features. The microscope will bring the first nanoscience instrument to the chemistry program at Pacific Lutheran University and allow undergraduate students hands-on use of this important instrument. The new atomic force microscope will greatly enhance our students' experiences in their undergraduate research projects as well as in their coursework. The microscope will also be incorporated into outreach workshops that already take place in our laboratories for underrepresented high school students in the Tacoma MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement) program. Lastly, examples of research programs using the new instrument include studies leading to: better ability to design high performance plastics; better antimicrobial peptides for the fight against a broad range of pathogens; methods of developing nanoparticles for eventual use in low level detection of compounds.