MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for interdisciplinary undergraduate research at Georgia Gwinnett College

MRI：佐治亚格威内特学院购买原子力显微镜用于跨学科本科生研究

• 批准号: 1621665
• 负责人: Neelam Khan
• 金额: $ 14.84万
• 依托单位: Georgia Gwinnett College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1621665&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Atomic; Force; Microscope

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation (CRIF) Program, Professor Neelam Khan from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) and colleague Simon Mwongela have acquired an atomic force microscope (AFM). In an AFM a laser beam is directed to a surface area by means of a cantilever (a tip anchored at only one end). As the cantilever is displaced by interacting with the surface a reflection of the laser beam is displayed on a detector (photodiode). In this way an image of the surface can be created with the aid of an electronic system. In general, an AFM has three major abilities: force measurement, imaging and manipulation. This microscopy instrument is used to investigate the surface of materials and enable researchers to obtain nanoscale-level details of surface structure, morphology and interaction forces for a wide range of systems. The technique provides images which enable characterization of surfaces on various materials such as polymers, biological materials and aerosols. Information is obtained on magnetic, electronic and mechanical properties which can lead to improvement in desirable properties for materials such as semiconductors, vertebrate visual pigments and water filtration membranes. The instrumentation is used in research projects undertaken by undergraduates providing invaluable real-world, hands-on training for future careers in higher education or industry. The instrumentation will be used in research at Georgia Gwinnett College especially in areas such as (a) chracterizing semiconductors of groups II-V; (b) characterizing the packing of rhodopsin, a visual pigment, at membrane surfaces; (c) studying conductive polymer film morphology as a function of biomolecular oxidant; (d) analyzing natural and synthetic neuromelanin; (e) analyzing single-particles of local tropospheric aerosols; and (f) analyzing interactions between pollutants and membranes.

由于获得了主要研究仪器（MRI）项目和化学研究仪器（CRIF）项目的奖励，来自乔治亚州格威内特学院（GGC）的尼拉姆·汗教授和他的同事西蒙·姆旺格拉获得了一台原子力显微镜（AFM）。在AFM中，激光束通过悬臂梁（仅在一端固定的尖端）定向到表面区域。由于悬臂梁与表面相互作用而位移，激光束的反射显示在检测器（光电二极管）上。通过这种方式，借助于电子系统就可以产生表面的图像。一般来说，AFM有三个主要功能：力测量、成像和操作。这种显微镜仪器用于研究材料的表面，使研究人员能够获得纳米级的表面结构、形态和各种系统的相互作用力的细节。该技术提供的图像可以表征聚合物、生物材料和气溶胶等各种材料的表面。获得磁性、电子和机械性能方面的信息，这些信息可以改善半导体、脊椎动物视觉色素和水过滤膜等材料的理想性能。该仪器用于本科生开展的研究项目，为未来高等教育或行业的职业生涯提供宝贵的现实世界实践培训。该仪器将用于佐治亚格威内特学院的研究，特别是在以下领域：(a)表征II-V族半导体；(b)表征视紫红质（一种视觉色素）在膜表面的堆积；(c)研究导电聚合物薄膜形态作为生物分子氧化剂的作用；(d)分析天然和合成的神经黑色素；(e)分析本地对流层气溶胶的单粒子；(f)分析污染物与膜之间的相互作用。