MRI: Development of and Broad-Based Materials Research with the Next Generation Nanomechanical Testing Laboratory

非技术性：该项目的目标是通过开发下一代纳米机械测试实验室，并利用它来推进对几个关键科学领域材料行为的基本理解，将纳米机械科学的前沿推向新的视野。来自几个不同学术机构的团队成员计划进行四项核心科学研究。这些是：（1）对变形机制的基础研究，当工程材料的尺寸减小到亚微米和纳米尺度时，变形机制通常会产生巨大的强度;（2）对地球物理材料的纳米尺度力学研究，因为它们与地震等大尺度地球物理现象有关并控制它们;（3）科学因素限制了先进燃料电池中用于可持续能量转换和储存的材料的性能;（4）大块非晶合金中不寻常的变形和断裂机制，这是一类相对较新的工程材料，具有普通金属无法实现的独特性能。除了四项核心研究外，还组建了一个由来自九个学术机构和一个国家实验室的研究合作伙伴组成的扩展团队，以开发和使用该系统，用于先进电池、焊接、微机电系统、增材制造、保护陶瓷涂层、空间动力系统和二维片材结构等领域的各种其他尖端材料研究活动。研究和开发合作伙伴支持许多博士生和博士后谁将使用他们的研究仪器。为了促进这些互动，暑期讲习班计划为研究生和博士后提供基本的操作指导，并为本科生提供暑期研究经验。一个重要的工业合作伙伴将把这项技术商业化。技术支持：纳米力学测试实验室可用于纳米压痕、纳米压缩和纳米拉伸测试，它基于世界上任何其他仪器都不具备的几种新技术和能力。其中包括：高度局部化的电阻加热，可在高真空或受控气体环境中进行高达1100 C的高温测试;革命性的激光干涉位移测量系统，具有亚纳米分辨率，消除了由热漂移和负载框架合规性引起的长期问题;快速傅立叶信号分析仪，用于在MHz范围内的速率下进行高速数据采集和反馈控制，以解决许多关于速率对材料影响的未解决但及时的问题行为;通过长工作距离光学系统和五个独立的压电运动致动器实现前所未有的样品定位和对准，以最大限度地提高对准和瞄准能力;以及用于快速属性映射的高速率测试。许多其他尖端的设计元素也融入了设计中。团队中拥有材料科学、机械工程、物理、化学和地质学方面特殊技能和专业知识的广泛科学家和工程师的集体专业知识极大地促进了系统组件和子系统的有效集成。该系统完全开发后，将作为田纳西大学先进材料联合研究所的国家共享用户设施运行。

Non-technical: The objective of this project is to push the frontier of nanomechanical science to new horizons by developing the next generation nanomechanical testing laboratory and using it to advance fundamental understanding of materials behavior in several key scientific areas. Four core scientific studies are planned by team members from several different academic institutions. These are: (1) a fundamental study of the mechanisms of deformation that often produce enormous strength when the size of an engineering material is reduced to the sub-micrometer and nanometer scales; (2) nano-scale mechanical studies of geophysical materials as they relate to and control large-scale geophysical phenomena like earthquakes; (3) scientific factors limiting the performance of materials used for sustainable energy conversion and storage in advanced fuel cells; and (4) the unusual mechanisms of deformation and fracture in bulk metallic glasses, a relatively new class of engineering materials with unique properties not achievable in ordinary metals. In addition to the four core studies, an extended team of research partners from nine academic institutions and a national laboratory has been assembled to develop and use the system for a variety of other cutting edge materials research activities in areas as diverse as advanced batteries, welding, micro-electro-mechanical systems, additive manufacturing, protective ceramic coatings, space power systems, and two-dimensional sheet structures. The research and development partners support numerous PhD students and postdocs who will use the instrument in their research. To facilitate these interactions, summer workshops are planned to provide basic operational instruction for the graduate students and postdocs as well as summer research experiences for undergraduates. A key industrial partner will commercialize the technology. Technical: The nanomechanical testing laboratory, which can be used for nanoindentation, nano-compression, and nano-tensile testing, is based on several new technologies and capabilities not available on any other instrument in the world. These include: highly localized electrical resistance heating for very high temperature testing up to 1100C in high vacuum or in controlled gaseous environments; a revolutionary laser interferometric displacement measurement system with sub-nanometer resolution that eliminates longstanding problems caused by thermal drift and load frame compliance; fast Fourier signal analyzers for high speed data acquisition and feedback control at rates in the MHz range to address many unanswered but timely questions about rate effects on material behavior; unprecedented sample positioning and alignment made possible through long working distance optical systems and five independent piezo motion actuators to maximize alignment and targeting capability; and high rate testing for rapid property mapping. Many other cutting-edge design elements are also incorporated in the design. Effective integration of system components and subsystems is greatly facilitated by the collective expertise of the broad range of scientists and engineers on the team who have special skills and expertise in materials science, mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry and geology. When fully developed, the system will be operated as a national shared user facility in the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials at the University of Tennessee.