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

通过与主要是本科生机构、研究型大学、社区学院和当地高中的研究和教育合作，北佛罗里达大学(UNF)收购交流磁化率测量系统预计将使整个地区受益。此次收购增强了现有的基础设施，包括通过NSF支持获得的四种主要研究工具，并使团队能够探索新的研究项目。该团队的研究项目跨越许多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和工程的一般领域。这一工具的教学影响也是广泛的，因为它被纳入a)化学和物理本科课程(即高级实验室和各种本科研究项目)，b)面向普通公众和高中生的外联活动，以及c)联合国基金会校园内的教师教育活动。这项由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联合国基金会作为佛罗里达州东北部研究和教育中心的领导作用。交流磁化率的测量在分子磁学领域中是至关重要的，因为它探索单分子和单链磁性、自旋玻璃行为，以及提供对分子磁性系统弛豫机制的洞察。在UNF，SQUID磁强计的存在使直流磁化率测量成为可能，随着交流能力的增加，一套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。利用加压下的磁测量技术研究了材料在压力作用下的性能变化，并将其应用于材料的宏观后合成性能控制。因此，该团队及其合作者将交流磁化率用于a)分子磁体(单分子、单链和有机自由基磁体)、b)多核过渡金属和镧系元素/榄系元素簇合物、c)磁性材料和相关材料、d)高温超导体和e)环境友好型水修复材料的跨学科研究。由于SQUID的交流能力，以及在高达20 GPA的压力下用于磁力测量的不同压力室的获得，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，并通过本科生研究，预计将丰富向联合国大学本科生提供的经验学习机会，并使他们接触到现代材料研究。这一设施预计将通过与美国、加拿大和塞浦路斯的至少一个主要本科机构和四所研究型大学的研究和教育合作，使分子磁学领域的一些研究小组受益。此外，加压能力使UNF团队在国家和国家的高压科学领域处于领先地位，与UNF已有的极端压力下的拉曼光谱和单晶X射线衍射相吻合。此外，将SQUID磁测量纳入教师教育活动和联合国基金会的实地考察活动，将使当地高中教师和学生接触尖端研究，并加强联合国基金会与社区的联系。通过丰富其研究和教育组合并体现其在该区域的领导作用，这一衡量系统的获得构成了联合国基金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.