MRI/RUI: Acquisition of a Combination Raman and FTIR for Research, Education, and Training

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1338014Tabbetha Dobbins TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program will support researchers at Rowan University with the acquisition of a combined Raman and FTIR spectroscopy instrument and collaborators at Rutgers University in Camden will access the instrument. Rowan is rapidly growing as a research and research training university in southern New Jersey. Research is ongoing in biomedical science, chemistry, energy, environmental, and pharmaceutical science. Acquisition of the state-of-the-art instrumentation, which combines imaging and vibrational spectroscopy to enable collection of both Raman and FTIR signals at the sub-micron levels, will directly impact the faculty research projects. These projects include: (i) determining phonon density of states for nanostructured and doped metal hydrides for fuel cell and battery applications; (ii) measuring lattice dynamics and phonon, magnon and electro-magnon interactions in the rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structures; (iii) evaluating the structures of protic ionic liquid solutions to better understand proton-solvation mechanisms; (iv) generating asymmetric optical sidebands which can be red-shifted or blue-shifted relative to the carrier seed light depending on configuration; (v) measuring dynamic structural transitions in protein and polymer materials at various temperatures to form tunable biomaterials such as films, gels, particles, fibers, or composites which can be widely used for tissue regeneration medicine, controlled drug delivery, biosensors, and biophotonics; and (vi) understanding the full composition, and therefore physiological effects, of a new street drug, called "wet" by measuring its vibrational spectroscopic signature. Researchers at the partner institutions are actively working on nanomaterial and nanodevice development, novel chemicals for energy research, and design of advanced measurement devices for which optical property measurement is necessary. This acquisition will support the growth in experimental research opportunities and capabilities at Rowan University and to enhance collaboration with Rutgers University located only 20 minutes away in nearby Camden.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:With this instrument acquisition award from the Major Research Instrumentation program researchers at Rowan University and collaborators at Rutgers University in Camden will now have expanded capabilities for studying molecules with light using a new system combining two powerful techniques. This combined instrument allows scientists to study how molecules vibrate. By learning about the vibrational frequencies, scientists can gain physical and chemical insights into materials regarding their identities, bond types, dopant atom positioning and bond strength. This instrument makes it possible to advance research and training at Rowan University and collaborating institutions in areas of materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, and biomedical science and engineering. Educational opportunities will also be available by including Raman and FTIR in the teaching of biophysics, cell biology, genetics, bioinformatics and forensic science courses; as well as in laboratory courses for senior-level students working in a research format. The faculty, students, and post-doctoral researchers impacted by this instrumental acquisition include: 14 faculty investigators, 24 undergraduate and 16 graduate research students and 216 students per year in courses offered in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Forensic Science, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.