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

该主要研究仪器（MRI）项目为犹他州立大学（USU）购置先进的分析场发射扫描电子显微镜（SEM）提供资金，以提高其研究、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更高的分辨率，以及全州校园内研究人员和学生远程使用的能力。目前，USU唯一的电子显微镜服务是一台22年的模拟扫描电镜，其成像能力和分辨率有限。新的显微镜为USU的研究人员提供了先进的技术能力，这是目前该机构无法获得的。该显微镜的收购将为USU的材料表征基础设施提供革命性的改进，提高教师研究的质量和生产力，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的加工和制造方面的资助研究。具体来说，这项研究包括表征用于抗菌应用和生物燃料生产、生物塑料和食品微观结构的纳米颗粒；纳米尺度——纳米管、纳米线、纳米多孔材料、核材料和绝缘体中电荷效应的成分分析；地热和地震研究的微尺度成分分析，土壤和叶片形态与气候的关系。总的来说，这些设备将被整合到USU显微镜核心设施中，以满足大学三个学院至少六个部门的教师的研究需求。该显微镜还将广泛用于USU的教育推广和培训，并将整合到电子显微镜的新课程中，以帮助培训学生使用新显微镜。大约60名研究生和本科生预计将在他们的研究中使用该显微镜。此外，显微镜的远程操作将允许显微镜用于在犹他州的USU分校的课堂和研究。此外，访问USU校园的K-12学生将在访问大学期间利用乐器的独特功能。

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.