MRI: Acquisition of Aerodyne High-Resolution, Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

MRI项目支持获取高分辨率飞行时间气溶胶质谱仪（HR-ToF-AMS）。背景资料：颗粒，特别是纳米颗粒，在药物输送、医学治疗、材料合成、催化、气敏、涂料、超快响应电子元件、高能可调谐激光二极管等诸多实际应用中都有涉及，颗粒也从城市垃圾焚烧炉、危险废物焚烧炉、焊接系统、汽车、柴油机和飞机废气、冶炼厂和电站锅炉。人们还担心，纳米尺寸的颗粒可能比尺寸较大的颗粒对人体健康的危害更大。因此，颗粒物的表征和减缓是环境研究的一个非常热门的领域。研究：由于了解颗粒的不利影响和利用其特征用于有益目的的重要性，气溶胶研究已被选为四个重点研究领域之一（即，气溶胶科学与工程;工程化水产加工;圣路易斯华盛顿大学新成立的能源、环境和化学工程系（EECE）的多尺度建模和分子转化工程;代谢工程和系统生物学）。四个核心教师（即，EECE中的PI和Co-PI（本提案的PI和Co-PI）大量参与颗粒相关研究。为了推进知识和发展与颗粒相关的技术，表征颗粒的尺寸和组成分布是必不可少的。虽然校园里有大量的气溶胶采样和表征仪器，但在真实的时间内同时测量颗粒大小和成分分布的能力方面存在明显的差距。因此，PI建议从Aerodyne Research Inc.购买高分辨率飞行时间气溶胶质谱仪（HR-ToF-AMS）。本拟议仪器采购项目的目标是：（1）发展实时、同时测量颗粒尺寸和成分分布的能力;（2）进一步推进圣路易斯华盛顿大学和周边地区研究机构的颗粒相关研究活动;（3）支持本科生和研究生阶段的粒子表征学生培训和教育。收购HR-ToF-AMS将对华盛顿大学的颗粒相关研究和教育产生重大影响，提高气溶胶科学、环境工程和材料科学等增长领域的化学分析能力。该仪器的收购将通过加强EECE和材料创新中心的设施来推进多学科研究活动的基础设施。该仪器将被教师用于推进各自学科的气溶胶科学与技术，环境工程和材料科学的科学理解。使用该仪器的研究成果将产生许多社会效益。从环境科学和工程研究中获得的知识可以为改善环境保护提供科学依据。当这些新材料被部署在环境、生物医学和信息技术应用中时，对纳米结构材料的更好理解将有益于社会。同时，该仪器将被纳入气溶胶科学与技术的高年级本科和研究生教育课程。它还将通过动手或演示实验加强本科纳米技术辅修的核心课程。纳入HR-ToF-AMS将提高这些教育计划提供的课程的教学质量，并为社会培养有能力和创造力的劳动力学生。PI将通过接触相关学生协会，积极向代表性不足的群体提供研究和教育机会，并将招募那些有兴趣在粒子技术领域发展事业的人。来自其他大学的本科生将有机会通过NSF资助的REU课程体验这种最先进的仪器。

The MRI project supports the acquisition of a high-resolution time of flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Background: Particles, especially nanoparticles, are involved in many practical applications such as drug delivery, medical therapy, material synthesis, catalysis, gas sensing, coatings, ultrafast-response electronic components, high-energy tunable laser diodes, and so on. Particles are also released into the environment from emission sources such as municipal waste incinerators, hazardous waste incinerators, welding systems, automobiles, diesel engine and aircraft exhausts, smelters, and utility boilers. There is also concern that nano-sized particles may be more harmful to human health than those in larger size ranges. Both the characterization and mitigation of particles is, therefore, a very topical area of environmental research. Research: Because of the importance in both understanding the adverse effects of particles and exploiting their features for beneficial purposes, aerosol research has been selected as one of four focal research areas (i.e., aerosol science and engineering; engineered aquatic processes; multi-scale modeling and molecular transformation engineering; and metabolic engineering and system biology) in the newly organized department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE), Washington University in St. Louis. Four core faculty members (i.e., PI and Co-PIs of this proposal) in EECE are heavily involved in particle-related research. To advance the knowledge and to develop the technology related to particles it is essential to characterize the size and composition distributions of particles. While there is extensive aerosol sampling and characterization instrumentation on campus, there is a glaring gap in the ability to simultaneously measure particle size and composition distributions in real time. The PIs, therefore, proposed the acquisition of high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) from Aerodyne Research Inc. The objectives of this proposed instrumentation acquisition project are: (1) to develop the capacity for real-time, simultaneous measurement of particle size and composition distributions; (2) to further advance particle related research activities at Washington University in St. Louis and research institutes in the surrounding area; and (3) to support the student training and education on the particle characterization at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Broader Impact The acquisition of HR-ToF-AMS will have significant impact on particle related research and education at Washington University by improving chemical analysis capabilities in the growth areas of aerosol science, environmental engineering and materials science. Acquisition of the instrument will advance the infrastructure for multidisciplinary research activities by strengthening the facilities of the EECE and Center for Materials Innovation. The instrument will be used by faculty to advance scientific understanding in their respective disciplines of aerosol science and technology, environmental engineering, and materials science. The results of research using the instrument will have many societal benefits. The knowledge gained from environmental science and engineering research can provide a scientific basis for improved environmental protection. Improved understanding of nano-structured materials will benefit society when these novel materials are deployed in environmental, biomedical, and information technology applications. Meanwhile, the proposed instrument will be integrated into the curriculum of Aerosol Science and Technology for the senior undergraduate and graduate education. It will also strengthen the core courses for undergraduate Nanotechnology minor via hands-on or demonstration experiments. The inclusion of HR-ToF-AMS will enhance the teaching quality of the courses offered by these educational programs, and produce competent and creative workforce students for the societies. The PIs will actively present the research and education opportunity to underrepresented groups by approaching related student associations, and will recruit those interested to advance their careers in particle technology. Undergraduate students from other universities will have opportunities to experience this state-of-art instrument through the NSF-funded REU programs.