MRI: Acquisition of High Performance Nano-Mechanical Tester for Micro/Nanomechanical Characterization of Materials

这个主要研究仪器(MRI)项目的目标是加强内华达大学雷诺分校(UNR)在微/纳米机械材料表征方面的研究能力。为此，UNR的一批具有跨学科研究兴趣的研究人员建议购买一种新的关键仪器--Hysitron TI-950摩擦压力机纳米机械测试系统。包括UNR在内的内华达州北部没有纳米机械测试仪，因此缺乏这样的仪器(或快速获得附近的仪器)给UNR的研究人员和当地行业合作伙伴在推进材料研究和开发方面带来了重大挑战。收购最先进的纳米机械测试系统将立即支持UNR的一些研究项目，并启动变革性研究和行业合作。该仪器还将支持本科生和研究生课程，并培训科学和工程专业的学生使用最先进的材料表征技术。纳米机械测试仪通过将纳米尺寸的钻石压头驱动到试件表面并动态收集外加力和位移数据来执行压痕测试。测量的载荷和压痕深度可用于推导材料、薄膜、涂层和衬底的硬度、弹性模数和存储和损耗模数等力学材料属性。通过将这些测量作为时间的函数，可以在微米/纳米级别上确定蠕变和松弛等粘弹性特性。与UNR提供的测试夹具一起，该系统还可以用于在不同长度尺度上对显微组织演变进行原位观察。除了核心研究团队的支持外，来自三个机构的11名研究人员将与核心研究团队合作使用新的研究仪器。纳米机械测试仪将显著增强联合国大学在生物材料、纳米材料、活性材料和其他结构和功能材料等新兴领域的研究能力。特别是，该仪器将改善联合国大学S的研究支持基础设施，为联合国大学提供一套独特的资源，用于在材料行为的微/纳米机械方面寻求资金。使用所要求的仪器进行的研究结果将大大增加纳米材料、生物传感器、材料和结构测试、纳米制造、纳米复合材料的加工以及材料性能的微观表征等领域的知识库。该仪器将由联合国研究所的许多实验室小组共享，从而将鼓励合作并引发协同研究。该仪器将用于培训和更好地准备未来先进材料研究的工作队伍。此外，该仪器将被UNR NSF GK-12研究生用于探索能源研究，以表征新材料，包括用于能源相关应用的薄膜太阳能电池和薄膜。与该仪器互动的研究生和本科生将获得宝贵的实践技能和最先进的纳米压痕和材料表征培训。参与研究小组有让妇女、少数群体和本科生参与研究活动的传统，这一传统将通过新获得的仪器在微/纳米机械制度中得到延续。详细的数码数据将在一个指定的网站上提供，以传播研究结果和研究结果。此外，还将向大量教师、实习工程师、本科生和研究生提供一系列与课程相关的项目。

The goal of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) project is to strengthen the research capability in micro/nanomechanical materials characterization at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). To do so, a critical mass of researchers with interdisciplinary research interests at UNR proposes to acquire a new and critical instrument, the Hysitron TI-950 Triboindentor nano-mechanical testing system. Northern Nevada including UNR does not have a nano-mechanical tester, thus the lack of such an instrument (or quick access to a nearby instrument) imposes significant challenges to researchers at UNR and local industry partners in advancing materials research and development. Acquiring a state-of-the-art nano-mechanical testing system will immediately support a number of research projects at UNR and initiate transformative research and industry collaborations. The instrument will also support undergraduate and graduate courses and train science and engineering students in state-of-the-art materials characterization techniques. The nano-mechanical tester performs indentation tests by driving a nanometer-sized diamond indenter into the specimen surface and dynamically collecting the applied force and displacement data. The measured load and the indentation depth can be used to derive mechanical material properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, and storage and loss moduli for materials, thin films, coatings, and substrates. By making these measurements as a function of time, viscoelastic properties such as creep and relaxation can be determined at the micro/nano level. Together with testing fixtures available at UNR, the system can be also used for in situ observations of the microstructure evolution at different length scales. In addition to supporting the projects by the core investigator team, eleven researchers from three institutions will collaborate with the core investigator team to use the new instrument for research.The nano-mechanical tester will significantly enhance the research capability at UNR in the emerging areas of bio-materials, nano-materials, active materials, and other structural and functional materials. Particularly, the instrument will improve UNR?s research support infrastructure by giving UNR a unique set of resources with which to pursue funding in the micro/nanomechanical aspects of material behavior. The outcome of the research conducted with the requested instrument will add significantly to the knowledge base in the areas of nano-materials, bio-sensors, testing of materials and structures, nanomanufacturing, processing of nanocomposites, and micro-characterization of material properties. The instrument will be shared by many laboratory groups at UNR and thus will encourage collaboration and spark synergistic research. The instrument will be used to train and better prepare the future work force in advanced materials research. Also, the instrument will be used by UNR NSF GK-12 graduate fellows exploring energy research for characterizing novel materials including thin-film solar cells and membranes for energy-related applications. Graduate and undergraduate students who interact with the instrument will gain valuable hands-on skills and state-of-the-art training in nanoindentation and materials characterization. The participating research groups have a tradition of involving women, minorities and undergraduates in the research activities and this tradition will be continued in the micro/nanomechanical regime with the newly acquired instrument. Detailed digital data will be made available on a designated website to disseminate the research results and findings. Additionally, a collection of course-related projects will be made available to a large pool of instructors, practicing engineers, undergraduate, and graduate students.