MRI:: Acquisition of a High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope for Materials Research and Education

技术总结：拟议的高分辨率扫描电子显微镜（SEM）将创建一个多用户电子显微镜材料研究设施，隶属于伯明翰亚拉巴马大学（UAB）纳米材料和生物整合中心（CNMB）和UAB材料科学与工程系（MSE）。该设施将支持一些与材料相关的多学科研究和教育活动，涉及材料科学，物理，生物医学工程，前列腺学和生物材料部门的研究人员，并通过与亚拉巴马州立大学（ASU），NSF材料世界网络与罗兹技术大学（波兰）和波多黎各大学，马亚圭斯的合作伙伴关系促进合作。UAB的前沿研究主要集中在纳米结构，成分梯度，多相聚合物，金属和陶瓷材料，用于汽车，军事，医疗植入物，牙科和生物医学组织工程应用。在理解这些材料的合成，加工和结构的基本方面的进展取决于我们在多个尺度上定量分析它们的能力。配备能量色散X射线光谱仪的高分辨率扫描电子显微镜是满足这一需求的关键工具。至少7个材料科学与工程，生物医学工程和物理学的研究生和本科生课程将使用该仪器。 此外，大约60名教师和研究生将接受独立使用仪器的培训。其他部门的研究生，包括生物，物理和化学，也将使用SEM在他们的研究。大约35名本科生将通过资助的研究项目，UAB科学和技术荣誉计划，部门荣誉计划，高级设计和NSF本科生研究经验，其中妇女和少数民族的总体参与率为57%，利用这一工具。 该仪器还将用于提高K-12学生，教师和公众对材料科学，纳米技术和工程的认识，通过我们的NSF-RET网站，工程开放日和伯明翰McWane科学中心的纳米技术日。MSE和CNMB为SEM系统的运行、多用户的容纳以及地方、国家和国际层面的新项目的启动提供必要的基础设施和长期支持。伯明翰亚拉巴马大学（UAB）的前沿研究集中在纳米结构、成分分级、多相聚合物、金属和陶瓷材料，用于汽车、军事、医疗植入物、牙科和生物医学组织工程应用。在理解这些材料的合成，加工和结构的基本方面的进展取决于我们在多个尺度上定量分析其结构的能力，并确定其组成作为合成和加工的函数。配备能量色散X射线光谱仪的高分辨率扫描电子显微镜（SEM）将使我们能够进行这种分析，并在UAB创建一个新的多用户材料分析设施。 该仪器服务于UAB材料科学系，纳米材料和生物整合中心，其他四个UAB学术部门，亚拉巴马州立大学（ASU）的合作伙伴以及全州其他科学家的大量科学家和学生。它提供七个研究生和本科生课程的培训，增强了UAB研究经验的本科生计划，其中妇女和少数民族占参与者的57%，并提高了K-12学生，教师和公众对材料科学，纳米技术和工程的认识。 这将通过我们的研究经验，教师计划和纳米技术日在伯明翰麦克韦恩科学中心完成。 它还促进在州，国家和国际层面更广泛的研究合作。总体而言，这一SEM系统是UAB研究基础设施的关键要素，与高技能人才的发展和新知识的产生有关，这是科学技术进步和经济增长的先决条件。

Technical Summary: The proposed high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) will create a multiuser electron microscopy materials research facility affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration (CNMB) and the UAB Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). The facility will support a number of materials-related, multidisciplinary research and education activities involving investigators in the departments of Materials Science, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Prostodontics and Biomaterials, and foster collaborations through partnerships with Alabama State University (ASU), NSF-Materials World Network with Technical University of Lodz (Poland) and and the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Cutting-edge research at UAB is focused on nanostructured, compositionally-graded, multiphase polymeric, metallic and ceramic materials for automotive, military, medical implants, dental and biomedical tissue engineering applications. Progress in the understanding of fundamental aspects of the synthesis, processing, and structure of these materials is contingent upon our ability to quantitatively analyze them at multiple scales. A high-resolution scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer is a critical tool for meeting this need. At least 7 graduate and undergraduate courses in Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Physics will use the instrument. Additionally, approximately 60 faculty and graduate students will be trained to independently use the instrument. Graduate students from other departments, including Biology, Physics and Chemistry, will also use the SEM in their research. Approximately 35 undergraduate students will utilize this instrument through funded research projects, the UAB Science and Technology Honors Program, departmental Honors programs, Senior Design and NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates, which has an overall participation rate of women and minorities of 57%. The instrument will also be used to raise the awareness of materials science, nanotechnology and engineering among K-12 students, teachers, and the general public through our NSF-RET site, Engineering Open House and Nanotechnology day at McWane Science Center in Birmingham. The MSE and CNMB provides necessary infrastructure and long-term support for SEM system operations, accommodation of multiple users, and the initiation of new projects at local, national, and international levels.Layman Summary: Cutting-edge research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is focused on nanostructured, compositionally-graded, multiphase polymeric, metallic and ceramic materials for automotive, military, medical implants, dental and biomedical tissue engineering applications. Progress in the understanding of fundamental aspects of the synthesis, processing, and structure of these materials depends upon our ability to quantitatively analyze their structures at multiple scales, and determine their composition as a function of synthesis and processing. A high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer will enable us to conduct this analysis and create a new multi-user materials analysis facility at UAB. The instrument serves a large group of scientists and students in UAB's Department of Materials Science, the Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration, four other UAB academic departments, partners at Alabama State University (ASU), and other scientists across the state. It provides training in seven graduate and undergraduate courses, enhances the UAB Research Experiences for Undergraduates program where women and minorities account for 57% of the participants, and raises the awareness of materials science, nanotechnology and engineering among K-12 students, teachers, and the general public. This will be accomplished through our Research Experiences for Teachers program and Nanotechnology day at McWane Science Center in Birmingham. It also fosters broader research collaboration at the state, national and international levels. Overall, this SEM system is a critical element of UAB research infrastructure, linked to the development of highly skilled personnel and the generation of new knowledge, which are a prerequisite for progress in science and technology as well as economic growth.