MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) for Research to Evaluate Nano-scale Properties of Materials

该主要研究仪器（MRI）奖将资助购买原子力显微镜（AFM），这是阿肯色州东北部唯一的最先进的AFM设备。它将用于支持琼斯博罗阿肯色州立大学（ASU-J）正在进行的多学科材料研究、教育和培训项目。AFM设备将使亚利桑那州立大学j分校的教师，研究人员和学生（研究生和本科生）能够扩大他们在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）研究，教学和培训方面的合作，以表征工程，化学和生物应用的材料。所要求的设备还将帮助亚利桑那州立大学j分校的教师通过与当地高中的实习和培训课程来扩大他们正在进行的外展活动，以激励和招募代表性不足的学生群体进入STEM专业。所要求的AFM系统将用于几个正在进行的研究项目，收集可持续和替代铺路材料领域的纳米级数据，小电磁颗粒的性质，能量收集和发电厂的有效运行，与全球变暖有关的大气颗粒的物理化学特性，以及半导体/光伏材料。此外，从AFM系统中获得的测试结果将用于验证从数学和分子动力学模拟中获得的结果。具体而言，AFM将用于：(i)通过纳米压痕评估原子水平的力学特性和界面强度，并研究用不同添加剂改性的多功能沥青的纳米级分散特性；（ii）制造微流体通道，用于分子水平上识别生物和植物物种；（iii）评估大气中气溶胶颗粒的物理特性；（iv）测试从燃煤电厂锅炉后设备采集的样品的腐蚀内表面和外层的灰沉积，(v)量化微颗粒（例如，碳粉）粘附在平面基底上，（vi）绘制和可视化生物信息图像和基因表达，以开发基于颗粒计算概念的可扩展算法，以及（vii）合成和表征光电材料和半导体器件，例如太阳能电池。该项目的成果将有助于建立一个强大的合作材料研究小组，通过基础科学方法研究新型材料。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award will fund the acquisition of an atomic force microscope (AFM), the sole state-of-the-art AFM device in Northeast Arkansas. It will be used to support ongoing multi-disciplinary materials research, education, and training programs at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro (ASU-J). The AFM device will empower faculty members, researchers, and students (graduate and undergraduate) of ASU-J to expand their collaborations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) research, instruction, and training in characterizing materials for engineering, chemical, and biological applications. The requested equipment will also assist ASU-J faculty expand their ongoing outreach activities through internships and training sessions with local high schools to motivate and recruit underrepresented student groups into STEM majors.The requested AFM system will be used in several ongoing research projects in collecting nano-scale data in the fields of sustainable and alternative paving materials, the nature of small electromagnetic particles, energy harvesting and efficient operation of power plants, physiochemical properties of atmospheric particles relevant to global warming, and semiconductor/photovoltaic materials. Furthermore, test results obtained from the AFM system will be used to validate those obtained from mathematical and molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, the AFM will be used to: (i) evaluate atomic level mechanistic properties and interfacial strength through nanoindentation, and examine nanoscale dispersion characteristics of multifunctional asphalts modified with different additives, (ii) fabricate microfluidic channels for molecular level identification of biological and plant species, (iii) evaluate physical properties of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, (iv) test corrosive inner surface and ash deposits on outer layers of specimens taken from post-boiler equipment in coal-fired power plants, (v) quantify micro-particle (e.g., toner) adhesion to flat substrates, (vi) profile and visualize bioinformatic images and gene expressions toward developing scalable algorithms based upon granular computing concepts, and (vii) synthesize and characterize optoelectronic materials and semiconductor devices, for example, solar cells. The outcomes of this project will assist in building a strong collaborative materials research group to study novel materials through fundamental science approaches.