MRI: Acquisition of an Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope System for Multidisciplinary Research and Education at UNC Charlotte

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The objective of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is to acquire a transmission electron microscope (TEM) System for multidisciplinary research and education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). The TEM will be housed at the UNC Charlotte Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communication. This shared-user instrument will impact 23 researchers from eight departments and four interdisciplinary research centers at UNC Charlotte. It will also serve as a central facility to researchers and students in the greater Charlotte region and neighboring institutions including Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), Benedict College (BC), Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and Davidson College, scholars affiliated with the Center for Biomedical Engineering Systems including the Carolina Medical Center, and industrial partners associated with the Charlotte Research Institute. The TEM will accelerate and stimulate research efforts encompassing (1) creation of new classes of nanostructured materials for thermoelectric and solar energy conversion; (2) creation of new ultrafine grained and nanocrystalline metals for structural applications; (3) understanding environmental change caused by geological forces to create a better planet; (4) discovery of novel materials for the detection and degradation of environmental pollutants; (5) assessment of nanoparticle risks in aquatic organisms for environmental concerns; (6) understanding the mechanism of aging to realize future life prolongation; (7) creation of new tissue engineering approaches to enhance bone integration with orthopedic implants; and (8) creation of novel nanocomposites for future lithography applications. Research results obtained using the TEM will provide significant contributions to the broader areas of national and regional technological needs, specifically in the fields of energy conversion, environmental sustainability, biotechnology, advanced materials, and optoelectronics. In addition, the TEM will have a direct impact on the new Ph.D. program in Nanoscale Science that was launched in Fall 2007 as both an educational and a research tool. Combined with various materials characterization resources on campus, the TEM will provide invaluable training and education opportunities to K-12, undergraduate and graduate students (with a focus on students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences) as well as local area teachers through: (1) various collaborative research and educational projects between JCSU, WSSU, Benedict College (all three institutions are Historically Black College and University institutions) and UNC Charlotte; (2) a variety resources of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs; (3) the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapter; and (4) the Aspire! Summer Nanocamp program.