BRIGE: Morphological Characterization of Nanomaterials by Atomic Force Microscopy

该奖项的研究目标是开发基于原子力显微镜(AFM)等最先进技术的先进纳米材料表征计划。利用原子力显微镜对纳米材料的形貌进行研究，将有助于在纳米尺度上深入了解材料的结构-性能关系。这种类型的信息对于推进对新纳米材料的理解至关重要，并提供了对这些材料的洞察，这些材料很难使用其他技术获得。该奖项将支持开发用于分析纳米壳和碳纳米管等先进纳米材料的适当技术的初步努力。要检查的具体主题包括纳米管密度的评估、纳米管的取向和排列。这将提供一个与纳米电子学等技术领域高度相关的独特信息数据库。由于材料及其理解是许多工程进步和挑战的基础，建立纳米材料表征计划对于定义开发革命性材料所需的技术和协议至关重要。如果该计划成功，该计划将为联合学院发展强大的纳米材料表征计划提供基石。利用原子力显微镜进行纳米材料表征的研究将使本科生接触到最先进的纳米材料，以及在历史学科之间发生的非常真实的变化。因此，这一举措的直接影响将是使所有学生，包括来自工程和科学学科的人数不足的本科生，对纳米科学和技术有实质性的理解。这将为他们提供一个良好的基础，在此基础上可以建立一个杰出的纳米技术职业生涯。

The research objective of this award is the development of an advanced nanomaterials characterization program based on state-of-the-art techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM). Research on the morphology of nanomaterials as determined by AFM will provide insight into the structure-property relationship of materials at the nanometer scale. This type of information is critical to advancing the understanding of new nanomaterials, and provides insights into these materials that are difficult to obtain using other techniques. This award will support initial efforts to develop appropriate techniques for analysis of advanced nanomaterials such as nanoshells and carbon nanotubes. Specific topics to be examined include evaluation of nanotube density, nanotube orientation, and alignment. This will provide a unique database of information that is highly relevant to technical areas such as nanoelectronics. As materials and their understanding are fundamental to many engineering advancements and challenges, the establishment of a nanomaterials characterization program is critical in defining the techniques and protocols needed to develop revolutionary materials.If successful, this program will provide a cornerstone to the development of a strong nanomaterials characterization program at Union College. Research in nanomaterials characterization using AFM supported by this grant will expose undergraduate students to state-of-the-art nanomaterials, and to the very real changes that are occurring at the interfaces between historical disciplines. The immediate impact of this will therefore be to provide all students including underrepresented undergraduates from engineering and science disciplines with a substantial comprehension of nanoscale science and technology. This will provide them with an excellent foundation upon which an outstanding career in nanotechnology can be established.