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

MRI：获取交流磁化率测量系统，用于跨学科材料研究和 STEM 教育

• 批准号: 1626332
• 负责人: Thomas Pekarek
• 金额: $ 11.81万
• 依托单位: University of North Florida
• 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: 2016-09-15 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1626332&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; AC; Susceptibility; Measurement

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.

北佛罗里达大学（UNF）交流磁化率测量系统的收购预计将有利于整个地区，通过研究和教育合作，主要是本科院校，研究型大学，社区学院和当地高中。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很广泛，因为它被纳入了（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）面向公众和高中生的推广活动，以及（c）联合国基金会校园内的教师教育活动。这一由NSF支持的交流磁化率测量系统的收购证明了UNF作为佛罗里达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性领域至关重要，因为它可以探测单分子和单链磁性，自旋玻璃行为，以及提供分子磁性系统弛豫机制的见解。在UNF，SQUID磁强计的存在允许直流磁化率测量，并与交流能力的增加，一个完整的表征套件将变得容易获得。对于固态材料，AC测量提供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。压力引起的材料性质的变化与压力下的磁力探测，在材料中的宏观合成后的性质操纵的应用。因此，该团队及其合作者将交流磁化率用于以下跨学科研究：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）用于水修复的环境友好材料。增强这些跨学科的努力，预计从交流能力的SQUID，以及从收购不同的压力细胞的磁力在压力高达20 GPa。将这些技术纳入化学和物理课程并通过本科生研究，预期将丰富向联合国基金会本科生提供的经验学习机会，并使他们接触现代材料研究。该设施预计将通过与美国，加拿大和塞浦路斯的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，使分子磁学领域的许多研究小组受益。此外，压力能力使UNF团队成为该州和全国高压科学领域的领导者，与UNF已提供的极压下的拉曼光谱和单晶X射线衍射相吻合。此外，在教师教育活动和联合国基金会实地考察中纳入SQUID磁力测量法，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。这一测量系统的获得构成了联合国基金会STEM机构发展的基石，丰富了其研究和教育组合，并体现了其在该地区的领导作用。