MRI: Acquisition of an Integrated Raman Microscopy Instrument

在主要研究仪器(MRI)计划的这一奖项和化学研究仪器计划(CRIF)的支持下，来自乔治敦大学的詹妮弗·斯威夫特教授和他的合作者将获得拉曼光谱/显微镜。拉曼光谱是一种分析技术，它提供关于材料的化学结构和物理性质的数据。它阐明了哪些原子相互键合，以及这些相互作用的强度。当与显微镜结合使用时，该仪器可以探测材料的非常小的区域，从而洞察当人们扫描材料时材料的性能将如何变化。此次收购将为本科生和研究生提供使用这一分析工具的培训。它将被乔治敦大学化学和物理本科生研究项目(REU)的学生使用，以及由美国化学学会(项目ACS-SEED)赞助的高中生在暑期研究项目中使用，该项目支持经济困难群体的学生。该奖项旨在加强各级的研究和教育，特别是在下列领域：(A)合成和表征分子晶体，如多晶型；(B)研究水合物和共晶；(C)分析分子和聚合物物种的单一和多组分纳米颗粒；(D)利用金属纳米颗粒开发燃料电池；(E)利用凝胶和粘性分散剂进行文化遗产保护；(F)利用有机金属框架材料进行气体分离和储存；(G)将导电聚合物电极用于生物医学和环境应用。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Jennifer Swift and collaborators from Georgetown University will acquire a Raman spectroscope/microscope. Raman spectroscopy is an analytical technique that provides data on the chemical structure and physical properties of a material. It elucidates what atoms are bonded to each other and the strength of those interactions. When combined with a microscope, the instrument can probe very small areas of the material providing insight on how the properties of the material will vary as one scans across it. The acquisition will provide training to undergraduate and graduate students in the use of this analytical tool. It will be used by students in the chemistry and physics undergraduate research programs (REU) at Georgetown and by high school students in a summer research program sponsored by the American Chemical Society (Project ACS-SEED) which supports students from economically disadvantaged groups. The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) synthesizing and characterizing molecular crystals such as polymorphs; (b) studying hydrates and co-crystals; (c) analyzing single and multi-component nanoparticles of molecular and polymeric species; (d) using metal nanoparticles for fuel-cell development; (e) employing gels and viscous dispersants for cultural heritage conservation; (f) using organometallic framework materials for gas separation and storage; and (g) using conducting polymer electrodes for biomedical and environmental applications.