MRI: Acquisition of a Multipurpose X-Ray Diffractometer for Advanced Materials Research and Education

新的多用途x射线衍射仪系统（MXDS）将支持伦斯勒大学各种多学科项目的先进材料研究，并通过新设计的实验室模块作为本科生和研究生实践培训的教育工具。该仪器将直接影响伦斯勒8个学术部门和4个研究中心在纳米和生物科学以及设备技术领域的12个主要研究项目中的35个项目。特别是，MXDS将作为一个关键的中心设施，用于研究各种新型材料的合成、制造、组装、稳定性和性能，这些新材料用于能源生产、纳米电子学、固态照明、红外探测、轻质复合材料、生物组装、检测和传感、组织工程和早期地球研究，以了解气候变化。超过18名教职员工、21名博士后、69名研究生（16名女性/少数族裔）和29名本科研究人员将来自工程和科学学院的8个系和4个由联邦、州和工业资助的研究中心，他们将定期使用该仪器。MXDS将通过实验室模块和现场实验演示用于4门本科和3门研究生课程，每年为700多名学生提供丰富的教育经验。此外，在伦斯勒，每年将有70多名学生参加新仪器的培训和访问。美国的K-12和夏季拓展项目——包括那些来自传统黑人学院和大学以及主要本科院校的项目。最后，MXDS还将被其他当地教育机构和行业使用，包括联合学院和通用电气，用于研究和培训。技术摘要：新的多用途x射线衍射仪系统（MXDS）将成为伦斯勒大学各种多学科项目中表征先进材料结构的重要基石工具，并通过演示和实践研究丰富学生的教育经验。MXDS将用于表征大量新型材料和复合材料，包括微观和纳米结构形式，影响纳米、生物、地球科学和设备技术领域8个学术部门和4个研究中心的12个主要研究计划中的35个项目。最先进的MXDS将是一种多功能中分辨率x射线衍射系统，用于表征各种材料的晶体结构、相形成、转变和稳定性、首选取向、残余应力和反射率。MXDS包括一个用于快速高信噪比数据采集的多条带检测器，一个用于空间分辨微衍射的毛细管准直器，以及一个用于相变动力学研究的热台。MXDS将在4门本科课程（包括500多名学生的工程材料科学课程）和3门研究生课程中用于实验室模块和现场演示，以提供丰富的衍射和材料结构表征基础教育。此外，在伦斯勒，每年将有70多名学生参加新仪器的培训和访问。美国的K-12和夏季拓展项目——包括那些来自传统黑人学院和大学以及主要本科院校的项目。最后，该仪器还将被其他当地教育机构和行业使用，包括联合学院和通用电气，用于研究和培训。该软件支持先进的分析和用户友好的界面，用于远程操作，实时课堂演示，并通过实验室模块进行推广。

Non-technical abstractThe new multipurpose X-ray diffractometer system (MXDS) will support advanced materials research in a variety of multidisciplinary programs at Rensselaer, and serve as an educational tool for hands-on training to undergraduate and graduate students through newly designed laboratory modules. This instrument will directly impact more than 35 projects in 12 major research programs in 8 academic departments and 4 research centers at Rensselaer in the areas of nano- and bio-sciences and device technologies. In particular, the MXDS will serve as a key central facility for studies involving the synthesis, fabrication, assembly, stability and properties of a wide range of novel materials for energy generation, nanoelectronics, solid-state lighting, infrared detection, light-weight composites, biological-assembly, detection and sensing, tissue engineering, and early earth studies for understanding climatic changes. More than 18 faculty, 21 post-doctoral fellows, 69 graduate students (16 women/minorities), and 29 undergraduate researchers from 8 departments across the schools of engineering and sciences and 4 research centers funded through federal, state and industrial grants, will use this instrument on a regular basis. The MXDS will be used for in 4 undergraduate and 3 graduate courses through laboratory modules and live experimental demonstrations, to enrich the educational experience of more than 700 students per year. Additionally, the new instrument will be available for training and access to more than 70 student participants each year in Rensselaer?s K-12 and summer outreach programs --including those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Finally, the MXDS will also be used by other local educational institutions and the industry, including Union College and General Electric, for research and training.Technical AbstractThe new multipurpose X-ray diffractometer system (MXDS) will serve as an essential cornerstone tool for characterizing the structure of advanced materials in a variety of multidisciplinary programs at Rensselaer, and for enriching the educational experience of students through demonstrations and hands-on research. The MXDS will be used to characterize a wide range of novel materials and composites in bulk, micro- and nano-structured forms, impacting 35 projects in 12 major research programs in 8 academic departments and 4 research centers in the areas of nano-, bio- and geo-sciences and device technologies. The state-of-the-art MXDS will be a versatile medium-resolution X-ray diffraction system used for characterizing crystal structure, phase formation, transformations and stability, preferred orientation, residual stresses and reflectivity in a variety of materials. The MXDS includes a multiple strip detector for rapid high-signal-to-noise ratio data collection, a capillary pipe collimator for spatially resolved microdiffraction, and a hot-stage for phase transition kinetics studies. The MXDS will be used in laboratory modules and live demonstrations in 4 undergraduate (including the Materials Science for Engineers course wit 500+ students) and 3 graduate courses to provide enriched education in the rudiments of diffraction and materials structure characterization. Additionally, the new instrument will be available for training and access to more than 70 student participants each year in Rensselaer?s K-12 and summer outreach programs --including those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Finally, this instrument will also be used by other local educational institutions and the industry, including Union College and General Electric, for research and training. The software supports advanced analyses and user-friendly interfacing for remote operation, real-time classroom demonstrations, and outreach through laboratory modules.