MRI: Acquisition of a Nanoindentation Equipment for Research and Education Training in Nanomechanical Characterization of NanoBio Materials

这项来自重大研究仪器(MRI)计划和数学与物理科学局多学科活动办公室的奖项使塔斯基吉大学(TU)能够获得一台最先进的Hysitron TI-980摩擦机，以加强其在纳米生物、自我修复材料和其他结构和多功能材料等新兴领域的研究能力。特别是，该仪器将改善TU的研究支持基础设施，为TU提供一套独特的资源，以在材料行为的微/纳米机械方面寻求资金。该仪器将由TU的教职员工和学生以及合作伙伴使用，从而鼓励协同研究合作。此外，还将向本科生和研究生提供一系列与课程相关的项目和实验。此外，这一设施的增加将帮助TU的教职员工制定新的建议，这些建议不仅将有助于理解材料的基础科学，还将有助于TU培养一批才华横溢、资质良好的非裔美国人毕业生，他们经过必要的培训，在高科技应用市场上竞争。预计该提案中描述的基础研究将最终推动纳米生物材料在航空航天、汽车、生物医学和制药领域的应用。通过这些研究项目产生的成果将通过期刊和会议出版物传播，造福科学界。多年来，塔斯基吉大学(TU)在美国国家科学基金会(NSF)和其他联邦机构的支持下，开发了一个材料科学与工程(MSE)研究和教育项目，该项目不仅非常全面，而且在招收、激励、指导和毕业拥有MSE高级学位的学生方面非常有效。该项目在MSE培养出了最多的少数民族博士，其中超过50%是女性。多相复合材料(纳米颗粒、聚合物、纤维)的整体性能在很大程度上取决于单个相的响应以及这些相之间长度尺度小于5微米的界面上的载荷传递。此外，聚合物、薄膜、骨支架、皮肤组织等材料的结构尺度都是纳米级的。此外，由于其固有的粘弹性性质，聚合物的性能具有高度的时间-温度-频率敏感性，并且其性能在较小的长度范围内变化很大。因此，对这些材料进行纳米尺度的表征对于理解基本行为是极其关键的。自动化最先进的TI-980摩擦纳米压痕设备由于其高空间分辨率和吞吐量，适合于在纳米/微米尺度上表征属性。将使用拟议的自动化纳米压痕中心进行的具体研究包括：作为骨组织工程应用支架材料的生物基树脂聚合物纳米复合材料、微针治疗后经皮吸收蛋白质和疫苗的皮肤纳米力学、用于结构应用的聚合物纳米复合材料、利用微胶囊出血概念实现复合材料的自我愈合以及探索钙钛矿太阳能电池的界面粘附性。为了完成这些广泛的研究活动，Tribonanoindenter系统配备了动态机械分析模块；加长行程平台和带彩色相机的光学显微镜；高负载换能器；纳米级机电表征；高分辨率机械性能图谱；高温平台和超低力机械表征。这种最先进的一体化设备将成为开发纳米生物材料科学和技术的优秀工具，同时增强塔斯基吉大学(TU)的研究和教育能力。

This award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activity of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences enables Tuskegee University (TU) to acquire a state-of-the-art Hysitron TI-980 Triboindenter to strengthen its research capability in the emerging areas of nanobio, self-healing materials and other structural and multifunctional materials. Particularly, the instrument will improve TU's research support infrastructure by giving TU a unique set of resources to pursue funding in the micro/nanomechanical aspects of material behavior. The instrument will be used by faculty and students at TU and those at collaborating partners, thereby encouraging synergistic research collaborations. In addition, a collection of course related projects and experiments will be made available to undergraduate and graduate students. Also, the addition of this facility will assist TU faculty in developing new proposals that will not only help understand the fundamental science of materials, but will also help TU to produce a talented and well qualified pool of African-American graduates with the necessary training to compete in a market for high technology applications. It is also anticipated that the fundamental studies delineated in this proposal will eventually result in advancing the nanobio materials applications in aerospace, automobile, biomedical and pharmaceutical areas. Results generated through these research projects will be disseminated through journal and conference publications for the benefit of the scientific community. Tuskegee University (TU) has, over the years with support from National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies, developed a program of research and education in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), which is not only very comprehensive but also very effective in recruiting, motivating, mentoring and graduating students with advanced degrees in MSE. The program has produced the largest number minority PhDs in MSE of which over 50 percent are female. Bulk properties of multiphase composite materials (nanoparticles, polymers, fibers) largely depend on the response on how individual phases perform and the load transfer at the interface of these phases which is of a length scale of less than 5 micrometers. Moreover, the structural scale of materials such as polymers, films, bone scaffolds, skin tissue etc. is in nanometers. Also, the polymer properties are highly time- temperature-frequency sensitive due to its inherent viscoelastic nature, and its performance varies significantly at small length scales. Therefore, nanoscale characterization of these materials is extremely critical in understanding the fundamental behavior. Automated state-of-the-art TI-980 TriboNanoindentation equipment is suited for characterizing properties at nano/micro scale due to its high spatial resolution and throughput. The specific studies that will be carried out using the proposed automated nanoindenter include: Biobased resin polymeric nanocomposites as a scaffold material for bone tissue engineering applications, Nanomechanics of skin in the transdermal delivery proteins and vaccines after microneedle treatment, Polymer nanocomposites for structural applications, Self-healing of composites using microcapsule bleeding concept, and Probing the interfacial adhesion of perovskite solar cells. To accomplish these broad range of research activities, the tribonanoindenter system is equipped with modules for dynamic mechanical analysis; extended travel stage and optical microscope with color camera; high load transducer; nanoscale electromechanical characterization; high-resolution mechanical property mapping; high-temperature stage, and ultra-low force mechanical characterization. This state-of-the art all-in-one equipment will serve as an excellent tool in developing science and technology of nanobio materials, while enhancing the research and education capabilities at Tuskegee University (TU).