MRI: Acquisition of a Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Catalyze Campus-Wide Research in Bio/Nano and Advanced Energy Materials

这一重大研究仪器(MRI)项目奖为购买先进的分析场发射扫描电子显微镜(SEM)提供资金，以增强犹他州立大学(USU)的研究、教育和培训能力。新设备取代了该机构现有的成像设备，成为主要的研究设备，并为各种研究应用提供了更高的分辨率，并能够供全州各地的研究人员和学生远程使用。目前，USU唯一的电子显微镜服务是一台已有22年历史的模拟扫描电子显微镜，成像能力和分辨率有限。新的显微镜为USU的研究人员提供了目前该机构无法获得的先进技术能力。显微镜的收购将为USU的材料表征基础设施提供革命性的改进，提高教职员工研究的质量和生产率，并直接影响许多研究人员在生物材料、纳米材料和能源材料加工和制造方面的资助研究。具体地说，能够开展的研究包括表征用于抗菌应用和生物燃料生产、生物塑料和食品微结构的纳米颗粒；纳米管、纳米线、纳米多孔材料、核材料和绝缘体中的电荷效应的纳米组成分析；以及用于地热和地震研究、土壤和与气候相关的叶片形态的微观组成分析。总体而言，这些设备将被整合到USU显微镜核心设施中，该设施服务于来自该大学三个学院至少六个系的教师的研究需求。该显微镜还将被广泛用于USU的教育推广和培训，并将被整合到一门新的电子显微镜课程中，以帮助培训使用新显微镜的学生。大约60名研究生和本科生将在他们的研究中使用这种显微镜。此外，显微镜的远程操作将允许该显微镜在犹他州的USU分校用于课堂和研究。此外，参观密歇根州立大学校园的K-12学生将在访问大学期间利用仪器的独特功能。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program award provides funding for acquisition of an advanced analytical field-emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) to enhance the research, education, and training capabilities at Utah State University (USU). The new equipment replaces an existing imaging device at the institution as the primary research device, and provides higher resolution for a variety of research applications as well as the ability for remote use by researchers and students at campuses across the state. At present, the only electron microscopy service at USU is a 22-year-old analog SEM with limited imaging capabilities and resolution. The new microscope provides advanced technical capabilities to USU's researchers that currently are not available at the institution. The acquisition of the microscope will provide a transformative improvement in the materials characterization infrastructure at USU, increase the quality and productivity of faculty research, and directly impact funded research in processing and manufacturing of biomaterials, nanomaterials, and energy materials for a number of researchers. Specifically, the enabled research includes characterizing nanoparticles for antimicrobial applications and biofuel production, bioplastics, and food microstructures; nanoscale-composition analysis for nanotubes, nanowires, nanoporous materials, nuclear materials, and charging effects in insulators; and microscale-composition analysis for geothermal and earthquake studies, soil, and leaf morphology correlated to climate. Overall, the equipment will be integrated into the USU Microscopy Core Facility that serves the research needs of faculty from at least six departments in three colleges of the university. The microscope also will be used extensively for educational outreach and training at USU and will be integrated into a new course on electron microscopy to help train students using the new microscope. Approximately 60 graduate and undergraduate students are expected to utilize this microscope in their research. Additionally, the microscope's remote operations will allow the microscope to be used for classes and research at USU branch campuses across the state of Utah. Additionally, K-12 students visiting the USU campus will take advantage of the unique capabilities of the instruments during visits to the university.