MRI-R2: Development of Micro Tensile Tester Operated in Atomic Force Microscopy

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This micro-tensile tester will be used in testing various materials inside an atomic force microscope (AFM) to understand nano-scale material deformation and mechanical properties of the materials as a function of applied tensile load. The instrumentation will serve research efforts covering four academic departments at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMassD): mechanical engineering, materials science, biomedical engineering & biotechnology, and civil & environmental engineering. The research efforts include investigations to study the effect of small tensile loads on displacement and deformation of conductive polymer grafted carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on electrical conductivity of polymer-CNT reinforced nanocomposite thin films, cell mobility in electro-spun nanofibers scaffolds; damage initiation and growth of electro-spun fiber scaffolds, fracture of epoxy hydrogel thin films reinforced with polyurethane fiber grid structure, and nano-surface embrittlement of ultraviolet and thermally degraded textile micron-sized fibers. The experimental research that will specifically address the issues associated with structural health monitoring, tissue engineering and textile industries. Another major impact of proposed micro-tensile tester lies in using it to provide research training and education opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate students will be given research opportunities by supporting them through NSF-LSAMP research projects using the proposed equipment. UMassD will incorporate the research programs resulting from the acquisition of proposed equipment into the Freshman Summer Institute (FSI), an existing preparatory and outreach program where promising local college bound high school graduates study with faculty members on working projects.