MRI: Acquisition of a Nano-Indenter to Improve the Nanoscale Materials Testing and Characterization Capabilities at the University of Wyoming

该主要研究仪器（MRI）奖为购买纳米压头提供资金，以提高怀俄明大学纳米级材料测试和表征能力。纳米压头仍然是为数不多的能够表征小规模材料和部件的机械测试系统之一。纳米压头能够探索许多具有变革性质的基础研究领域。在怀俄明大学（UW），纳米压头系统的具体研究活动将是非常多样化的，这也反映了化学和机械工程主要研究人员的不同背景。研究活动包括(a)聚合物的尺寸依赖变形，(b)二氧化碳吸附材料的合成和机械表征，(c)用于药物输送的封装纳米颗粒，以及(d)在实验和理论/模拟的基础上进行的小规模材料系统和组件的合作研究。这些研究活动代表了原创性研究，具有或具有巨大的变革性潜力。使用纳米压头的提议活动调查了与社会直接相关的基本和实际方面。这种纳米压头补充了研究基础设施，并显著增强了正在进行和未来的研究，将填补机械测试/表征与化学和光学/尺寸分析设备之间的空白。纳米技术是华盛顿大学的核心战略研究领域之一，涉及多个学科，致力于广泛的应用。许多来自西澳大学化学系、物理系、化学系、土木系、机械工程系的教职员工将使用该仪器。纳米压头将进一步促进和发展这些学科之间的合作。除了改善研究基础设施外，纳米压头还将加强华盛顿大学纳米技术和材料的培训基础设施。相关的研究人员参与了以下项目：(1)工程本科生/研究生，其中许多是女生；(2)在怀俄明州农村地区传播用于能源生产和环境保护的纳米技术；(3)指导未来的残疾学生。在所有这些活动中，该设备具有提供纳米技术实践经验的集成部分，并将增强相关教师的能力，以促进怀俄明州学生对工程和科学项目以及科学的兴趣。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award provides funding for the acquisition of a Nano-Indenter to improve the nanoscale materials testing and characterization capabilities at the University of Wyoming. The nano-indenter remains one of the few mechanical testing systems that can characterize small-scale materials and components. There are many fundamental research areas of transformative character that a nano-indenter enables to explore. At the University of Wyoming (UW) the specific research activities that will be enabled with the acquisition of the nano-indenter system are quite diverse which also reflects the different backgrounds of the principal investigators in chemical and mechanical engineering. The research activities include (a) size dependent deformation of polymers, (b) synthesis and mechanical characterization of CO2 sorbent materials and (c) encapsulated nanoparticles for drug delivery, as well as (d) collaborative research on small-scale material systems and components which is conducted in a combined experimental and theoretical/simulation based investigation. These research activities represent original research that is or has great potential to be of transformative character. The proposal activities that are enabled with the nano-indenter investigate both fundamental as well as practical aspects that are of direct societal relevance. This nano-indenter complements the research infrastructure and significantly enhances ongoing and future research and will fill a missing gap between mechanical testing/characterization and chemical and optical/dimensional analysis equipment already available at UW. Nanotechnology is one of the core strategic research areas at UW and involves multiple academic disciplines working towards a wide range of applications. Many faculty members will be using the instrument from various academic departments at UW including chemistry, physics and chemical, civil, mechanical engineering. The nano-indenter will further promote and develop collaborations across these disciplines. Besides improving the research infrastructure the nano-indenter will also enhance the training infrastructure for nanotechnology and materials at UW. The associated investigators are involved in projects with (i) engineering undergraduate/graduate students of which many are female students, (ii) dissemination of nanotechnologies for energy production and environmental protection in rural areas of Wyoming, and (iii) mentorships of prospective students with disabilities. In all these activities the equipment has an integrated part in providing hands-on experiences to nanotechnology and will enhance the ability of the involved faculty to promote the interest in engineering and science programs and science in general to the students of Wyoming.