MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) to Enhance the Materials Science and Nanotechnology Research and Teaching at Kettering University

这笔重大研究仪器(MRI)赠款将支持购买高分辨率透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)，以加强凯特琳大学在纳米技术和材料表征方面的跨学科本科教育和研究。该仪器将在生物、化学、化学工程、电气工程、机械工程和物理等广泛领域的教职员工、研究生和本科生中用于大量的研究项目和课堂活动。在凯特琳大学校园内提供HRTEM有许多好处，包括：(1)更强有力地将校内教育和合作媒体教育(凯特琳大学长期以来因此而闻名)整合到一个全面的教育模式中；(2)加强凯特琳大学在密歇根州，特别是弗林特市经济再发展中的稳定合作伙伴角色；(3)使人们能够对被确定为具有广泛社会影响的国家重大挑战领域的研究做出原创性贡献；(4)支持凯特琳大学招收和留住学生的努力；(5)进一步扩大STEM学科在职教学专业人员的专业发展计划；(6)启动一项计划，在凯特琳大学建立先进材料表征中心，为行业组织提供服务和培训。此外，使用这一工具所产生的工作将允许一些本科生参加地方、地区、国家和国际会议并展示原创研究。最重要的是，在开发新的实验室实验和教具时，使用这一仪器将使六个学术部门至少开设15门课程受益。收购HRTEM将极大地有利于凯特琳大学正在进行的一些研究项目，包括研究用于开发超级电容器的还原石墨烯氧化膜的构建、先进固体氧化物燃料电池的新材料的表征、钠离子电池的正极材料以及用于许多生物医学应用的磁性纳米颗粒的表征。拟议的仪器将允许高达0.1纳米的晶格分辨率和高达0.23纳米的点到点分辨率，从而为纳米材料的直接成像提供有意义的放大，以用于建议中概述的应用程序的尺寸分布和形态确定。此外，将扫描电子显微镜(STEM)与其能量色散X射线显微分析系统结合使用，可以在纳米尺度上绘制元素图，从而在块状材料的晶界和其他位置进行尺寸确定和元素图绘制。将受益于该仪器的重点正在进行的研究项目包括：(1)用于靶向药物输送和作为恶性肿瘤磁流体热疗介体的磁性纳米颗粒的表征，(2)利用大气压等离子体和表面退火法制备和表征还原的氧化石墨烯薄膜，(3)生物医学应用的聚合物和复合纤维和薄膜的表征，(4)钠离子电池用Na4Mn9O18阴极和氧化铁阳极的合成和表征，(5)先进固体氧化物燃料电池材料的合成和表征，(6)高温和微纳机器人用趋磁细菌产生的磁小体的生长和表征，(7)配体封端折叠纳米结构与金属离子相互作用的研究。

This Major Research Instrument (MRI) grant will support the acquisition of a High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) to enhance Kettering University's efforts in interdisciplinary undergraduate education and research in nanotechnology and materials characterization. This instrument will be used by faculty, graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of fields including biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and physics for a large number of research projects and classroom activities. The availability of a HRTEM on the campus of Kettering University has a number of benefits including: (1) A stronger integration of the on-campus and co-op-mediated education (for which Kettering University has long been known) into a holistic educational model; (2) Strengthening Kettering University's role as a steady partner in the economic redevelopment of the state of Michigan and, in particular, the city of Flint; (3) Enabling original contributions to research in areas identified as national grand challenges with broad social impact; (4) Bolstering Kettering University's efforts to recruit and retain students; (5) Further expansion of professional development programs for in-service teaching professionals in the STEM disciplines; (6) The initiation of a program to develop a center for advanced materials characterization at Kettering University to provide services and training to industrial organizations. Furthermore, work resulting from the use of this instrument will allow a number of undergraduate students to attend and present original research at local, regional, national and international meetings. Most importantly, at least 15 courses offered across six academic departments will benefit from the use of this instrument in the development of new laboratory experiments and teaching aids. The acquisition of a HRTEM will greatly benefit a number of ongoing research projects at Kettering University including investigations into the construction of reduced graphene oxide films for use in the development of a super-capacitor, characterization of novel materials for advanced solid oxide fuel cells, cathode materials for Na-ion batteries and characterization of magnetic nanoparticles for a number of biomedical applications. The proposed instrument will allow up to 0.1 nm crystal lattice resolution and up to 0.23 nm point-to-point resolution thus providing meaningful magnification for direct imaging of nanomaterials for size distribution and morphology determination for the applications outlined in the proposal. In addition, the ability to perform scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in conjunction with its energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis system allows for elemental mapping at the nanoscale allowing for size determination and elemental mapping at grain boundaries and other locations within bulk materials. Highlighted ongoing research projects which will benefit from this instrument include: (1) The characterization of magnetic nanoparticles for use in targeted drug delivery and as mediators in the magnetic fluid hyperthermia treatment of malignant tumors, (2) The fabrication and characterization of reduced graphene oxide films using atmospheric plasma and surface annealing, (3) characterization of polymer and composite fibers and films for biomedical applications, (4) Synthesis and characterization of Na4Mn9O18 cathodes and iron oxide anodes for sodium ion batteries, (5) Synthesis and characterization of materials for advanced solid oxide fuel cells, (6) Growth and characterization of magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria for hyperthermia and micro- and nanorobotics, and (7) The study of the interactions of ligand-capped fold nanostructures with metal ions.