RUI: Research on Glass at Coe College

本项目由材料研究部凝聚态物理和陶瓷项目联合资助，是为响应本科生院校研究(RUI)公告而提交的。第一个目标是让最多40名本科生在项目期间参与玻璃科学方面的可发表研究。人们正在利用快速冷却、激光加热和新的化学途径等新技术来制备新的氧化物玻璃。此外，他们还在少数原子的水平上研究玻璃的中程有序。最后，他们正在生产具有新技术应用的玻璃。例如，出于医疗和国家安全的目的，正在开发一种用于探测中子的玻璃系列。该项目通过培训本科生在玻璃研究的许多方面产生了广泛的影响，约75%将继续研究生院；举办研讨会，告知同事如何在小型学院进行高水平的研究，并邀请高中生加入这项工作，并与爱荷华州东部所有年级的大学前学生一起在COE学院和当地学校的科学项目中工作。技术细节：这项工作最具变革性的部分可能是确定多达10个原子的氧化物玻璃的中程有序。这个突出的科学问题涉及离子传导、混碱效应、粘度和松弛效应等现象。本研究的实验手段包括分别使用硼的两种同位素的核磁共振，以及同位素稀释法和硼的双角旋转核磁共振、中子散射、双原子力显微镜/拉曼光谱和飞行时间质谱学。物性测定是对这些测量的补充。与这项工作同时进行的是使用快速冷却、激光悬浮和替代化学手段的新型玻璃的开发。这方面的一个应用是开发用于中子探测的半导体硼钒酸锂玻璃。更广泛的影响包括对多达40名本科生进行全面的研究培训，包括他们日常使用许多最先进的仪器，让高中生和他们的老师参与研究，接触更年轻的学生，以及在玻璃科学领域提供领导服务。这个项目的一个新的和重要的组成部分是为其他大学的同事提供指导和举办研讨会，这些同事对与他们的学生进行高水平的研究感兴趣。

This project, submitted in response to the Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) announcement, is jointly funded by the Condensed Matter Physics and Ceramic Programs in the Division of Materials Research.NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: This project has a number of objectives. The first objective is to involve up to 40 undergraduate students in publishable research in glass science over the duration of the project. New oxide glasses are being prepared using novel techniques such as fast cooling, laser heating and new chemical pathways. As well, they are examining the intermediate range order of glass on the level of a handful of atoms. Finally they are producing glasses that have new technical applications. For example, one family of glasses is being developed to detect neutrons for medical and national security purposes. The project has broad impact by training undergraduate students in many aspects of glass research, ~75% will continue to graduate school; running workshops to inform colleagues how to conduct high level research at small colleges, and inviting high school students to join this work and working with pre-college students of all grades in eastern Iowa on science programs at Coe College and in local schools.TECHNICAL DETAILS: It is likely that the most transformational part of this work concerns the determination of the intermediate range order of oxide glasses of up to ten atoms or so. This outstanding scientific problem concerns such phenomena as ionic conduction, the mixed-alkali effect, and viscosity and relaxation effects. The experimental means for this study include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with a focus on boron using both of its isotopes separately as well as isotopic dilutions and boron Double Angle Rotation NMR, neutron scattering, dual atomic force microscopy/Raman spectroscopy, and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. Physical property determinations complement these measurements. Simultaneous to this work is the development of novel glasses using rapid cooling, laser levitation, and alternative chemical means. One application for this is the development of semiconducting lithium borovanadate glasses for neutron detection. Broader impacts include the thorough training of up to 40 undergraduate students in research, including their daily use of many state-of-the art instruments, the involvement of high school students and their teachers in research, outreach to younger students, and leadership service within the glass science field. A new and important component of this project is the mentoring and hosting of workshops for colleagues at other colleges interested in doing high-level research with their students.