MRI: Acquisition of an AC Susceptibility Measurement System for Interdisciplinary Materials Research and STEM Education

北佛罗里达大学（UNF）的交流磁化率测量系统的收购，预计将通过与主要本科机构、研究型大学、社区学院和当地高中的研究和教育合作，使整个地区受益。此次收购增强了现有的基础设施，包括通过NSF支持获得的四个主要研究仪器，并使团队能够探索新的研究项目。该团队的研究项目涵盖了许多STEM学科，包括化学（无机/材料化学和化学教育）、凝聚态物理以及材料科学与工程的一般领域。这一工具的教学影响也很广泛，因为它被纳入a)化学和物理本科课程（即在高级实验室和各种本科研究项目中），b)面向公众和高中生的推广活动，以及c)联合国大学校园内的教师教育活动。美国国家科学基金会支持的交流磁化率测量系统的收购证明了美国国家科学基金会作为佛罗里达州东北部研究和教育中心的主导作用。交流磁化率的测量在分子磁学领域至关重要，因为它可以探测单分子和单链的磁性、自旋玻璃行为，并为分子磁系统的弛豫机制提供见解。在UNF， SQUID磁力计的存在使直流磁化率测量成为可能，并且随着交流能力的增加，一个完整的表征套件将随时可用。对于固态材料，交流测量提供了关于自旋玻璃转变的信息，这是理解/调整材料性质的重要信息。在压力下用磁强计探测材料性能的压力诱导变化，并应用于材料的宏观合成后性能操纵。因此，该团队及其合作者在a)分子磁体（单分子，单链和有机基磁体），b)多核过渡金属和镧系元素/锕系元素团簇，c)磁性和相关材料，d)高温超导体以及e)用于水修复的环保材料的跨学科研究中使用交流敏感性。通过SQUID的交流能力，以及在高达20gpa的压力下获取不同的磁强计压力单元，这些跨学科的努力有望得到加强。将这些技术纳入化学和物理课程，并通过本科生的研究，预期将丰富向联合国大学本科生提供的体验式学习机会，并使他们接触现代材料研究。通过与美国、加拿大和塞浦路斯至少一所主要本科院校和四所研究型大学的研究和教育合作，该设施预计将使分子磁学领域的一些研究小组受益。此外，压力能力使UNF团队成为州和国家高压科学的领导者，在极端压力下，UNF已经可以使用拉曼光谱和单晶x射线衍射。此外，将SQUID磁强计纳入教师教育活动和对UNF的实地考察，将使当地高中教师和学生接触到最前沿的研究，并加强UNF与社区的联系。通过丰富其研究和教育组合，并体现其在该地区的领导作用，该测量系统的收购构成了联合国大学STEM机构发展的基石。

The acquisition of an AC susceptibility measurement system at the University of North Florida (UNF) is expected to benefit the entire region, through research and educational collaborations with primarily undergraduate institutions, research universities, community colleges, and local high schools. This acquisition enhances existing infrastructure, including four major research instruments acquired through NSF support, and enables the team to explore new research ventures. The team's research projects span many STEM disciplines, including chemistry (inorganic/materials chemistry and chemical education), condensed matter physics, and the general area of materials science and engineering. The pedagogical impact of this instrument is also extensive because of its incorporation in a) both the chemistry and physics undergraduate curricula (i.e. in advanced labs and in various undergraduate research projects), b) outreach activities both for the general public and for high school students, and c) teachers' education events on the UNF campus. This NSF-supported acquisition of an AC susceptibility measurement system constitutes proof of the leading role of UNF as a research and education hub in Northeast Florida. Measurement of AC susceptibility is critical in the field of molecular magnetism, as it probes single-molecule and single-chain magnetism, spin-glass behavior, as well as provides insight in the relaxation mechanism of molecular magnetic systems. At UNF, the presence of a SQUID magnetometer has allowed DC magnetic susceptibility measurements, and with the addition of the AC capabilities a complete characterization suite will become readily available. For solid-state materials AC measurements provide information about spin-glass transitions, which is important information for understanding/tweaking the materials' properties. Pressure-induced changes in the materials' properties are probed with magnetometry under pressure, with applications in macroscopic post-synthetic properties manipulation in materials. As such, the team and its collaborators use AC susceptibility in interdisciplinary investigations of a) molecular magnets (single-molecule, single-chain, and organic radical-based magnets), b) polynuclear transition metal and lanthanide/actinide clusters, c) magnetic and correlated materials, d) high temperature superconductors, and e) environmentally friendly materials for water remediation. Enhancement of these interdisciplinary efforts is expected from the AC capabilities of the SQUID, as well as from the acquisition of different pressure cells for magnetometry at pressures up to 20 GPa. Incorporation of these techniques in the chemistry and physics curricula and through undergraduate research is expected to enrich the experiential learning opportunities offered to UNF undergraduates and expose them to modern materials research. This facility is projected to benefit a number of research groups in the field of molecular magnetism, through research and educational collaborations with at least one primarily undergraduate institution and four research universities in the US, Canada, and Cyprus. Furthermore, the pressure capabilities make the UNF team a leader in high-pressure science in the state and the nation, dovetailing Raman spectroscopy and single-crystal x-ray diffraction under extreme pressures already available at UNF. Additionally, incorporation of SQUID magnetometry in teachers' education events and field trips to UNF is poised to expose local high school teachers and students to cutting edge research and strengthen UNF's bonds to the community. Acquisition of this measurement system constitutes the cornerstone for institutional growth for STEM at UNF by enriching its research and education portfolio and exemplifying its leadership role in the region.