MRI-R2: Acquisition of a High Resolution Field Emission Transmission Electron Microscope for Research in Self-Assembled, Synthetic and Biomolecular Materials

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0959393John"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."The proposal addresses Tulane University's request for a high resolution field-emission transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM) to complement its existing capabilities in electron microscopy and bring these capabilities to address the research needs of the university and academic researchers in the region. Tulane University operates an Electron Microscopy Facility as part of a centralized Coordinated Instrumentation Facility (CIF) (http://www.tulane.edu/~cif/) that was established in 1991 with the intent to maintain, manage and operate high priced instrumentation across the University. The electron microscopy facility is well-staffed by an excellent electron microscopist (Dr. Jibao He) who will provide training, participate in data interpretation, and maintain the instrument. Intellectual Aspects: The proposed TEM will be used to carry out a wide variety of research projects and to enhance the research resources available for new faculty across a range of scientific and engineering disciplines. There are 3 principal investigators and 6 senior investigators who will directly benefit from access to a high quality instrument. V. John will use the instrument for a variety of projects involving the self-assembly of lipid and surfactant systems to tubular liposomes and gel microstructures. S. Grayson's research related to dendrimers and macromolecules, T. Mandal's research in polymer nanoparticles related to drug delivery, T. Ahsan's project in stem cell characterization, and D. Khismatullin's research in cell cytoskeletal characterization, N. Pesika's research in biomimetic adhesive materials, and J. Wickramarajah's research in self-assembled porphyrin based materials, are all examples of projects in soft materials that will tremendously benefit from the use of high-resolution cryogenic imaging techniques for a fundamental understanding of underlying phenomena. U. Diebold's research in sub-surface microstructures in semi-conducting materials, Z. Mao's research in superconducting and magnetic thin films, N. Pesika's research in anisotropic quantum dots, and V. John's research in ceramics templated in self-assembled systems are examples where high-resolution TEM at the sub-nanometer scale will help understand the growth characteristics and properties of inorganic materials. The relatively recent advent of Field-Emission TEM providing tremendous increases in beam energy, brightness and coherence makes imaging at such resolutions and in such difficult-to-image systems possible. This proposal represents Tulane's efforts to bring its well-run electron microscope facility to a state-of-the-art facility conducting forefront research in an inherently interdisciplinary setting.