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

MRI:: 购买高分辨率扫描电子显微镜用于材料研究和教育

• 批准号: 1040474
• 负责人: Derrick Dean
• 金额: $ 39.4万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-10-01 至 2012-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1040474&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Resolution; Scanning; Electron

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.

技术摘要：提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，隶属于阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校（UAB）纳米材料和生物集成中心（CNMB）和UAB材料科学与工程系（MSE）。该设施将支持许多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、口腔修复学和生物材料等部门的研究人员，并通过与阿拉巴马州立大学（ASU）、与罗兹技术大学（波兰）的nsf -材料世界网络以及波多黎各大学（马亚圭斯）的伙伴关系促进合作。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。对这些材料的合成、加工和结构的基本方面的理解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。材料科学与工程、生物医学工程和物理学等至少7门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该仪器的培训。其他院系的研究生，包括生物、物理和化学，也将在他们的研究中使用扫描电子显微镜。大约35名本科生将通过资助的研究项目、UAB科技荣誉项目、部门荣誉项目、高级设计和NSF本科生研究经验来利用这一工具，其中女性和少数民族的总体参与率为57%。该仪器还将通过我们的NSF-RET网站、工程开放日和伯明翰麦克文科学中心的纳米技术日，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。MSE和CNMB为SEM系统的运行、多用户的容纳以及在地方、国家和国际层面启动新项目提供必要的基础设施和长期支持。外行总结：阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校（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。对这些材料的合成、加工和结构的基本方面的理解的进展取决于我们在多个尺度上定量分析它们的结构的能力，并确定它们的组成作为合成和加工的功能。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，纳米材料和生物集成中心，其他四个UAB学术部门，阿拉巴马州立大学（ASU）的合作伙伴以及全州其他科学家的一大群科学家和学生。它提供了7门研究生和本科生课程的培训，加强了UAB本科生研究经验项目（女性和少数民族占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。这将通过我们的教师研究经验项目和伯明翰麦克文科学中心的纳米技术日来完成。它还在州、国家和国际层面促进更广泛的研究合作。总的来说，这个SEM系统是UAB研究基础设施的关键组成部分，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。