MRI: Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art Scanning Electron Microscope for Advanced Materials Research and Education

非技术性描述：为了真正了解材料结构与其性质之间的联系，有必要使用多种分析技术在广泛的长度尺度上对其进行研究。然而，通常很难将使用各种不同专业仪器进行的实验产生的各种研究数据精确地联系到一个单一的、有凝聚力的画面中。通过这笔赠款购买的环境扫描电子显微镜通过将大量强大的成像和分析模式集成到一个统一的平台中，直接解决了这一挑战。该仪器实现的转型能力和实验将对俄亥俄州州立大学和整个地区的材料导向研究和教育产生重大影响。这一工具使教育工作者能够为当地和偏远地区的学生开发关于尖端显微镜方法的新课程，以及接触年轻学习者生活的基于交互式远程会议的创新性外联活动。这种显微镜的新的推广模式使其能够接触到大量的K-12学生，包括在此类活动中通常服务不足的人群，如听力受损的学生。技术描述：俄亥俄州立大学以及整个俄亥俄州的研究人员使用显微镜的高分辨率成像，数据丰富的分析方法，以及原位测试和操作的新颖组合来探测广泛的长度尺度，并为多学科材料科学研究创造先进的实验方法。多个分析模态的同时和/或精确关联的应用（成像、衍射以及化学和电子特性测量）和原位样品处理能力（加热、冷却、机械应力和环境）促进新科学知识的发现，并使关键材料领域的变革性进展成为可能，包括先进功能材料、高性能结构材料、和前瞻性的工程生物材料。特别关注的是材料结构和组成中的介观尺度异质性，其研究阐明了从单个位错、晶粒子结构和损伤引发到全尺寸装置、多晶体聚集体和生物工程纤维和组织支架的重要联系。这些研究使研究人员能够填补关键的空白，在微观尺度的现象和结构性质的关系在原子应用连续的基本理解。

Non-Technical Description:To truly understand the connections between the structure of materials and their properties, it is necessary to study them across a wide range of length scales using multiple analytical techniques. However, it is often difficult to precisely link the various lines of research data generated from experiments performed using an assortment of different specialized instruments into a single, cohesive picture. The environmental scanning electron microscope purchased through this grant directly addresses this challenge by integrating a large array of powerful imaging and analysis modalities into one unified platform. The transformational capabilities and experiments enabled by this instrument will have a major impact on materials-oriented research and education at The Ohio State University and across the region. This instrument enables educators to develop new courses on cutting-edge microscopy methods for both local and remote students, as well as innovative interactive teleconference based outreach activities that touch the lives of young learners. The new modes of outreach enabled by this microscope make it possible to reach a large number of K-12 students, including populations that are typically underserved in such activities such as hearing-impaired students.Technical Description:Researchers at The Ohio State University, as well as across the State of Ohio, use the microscope's novel combination of high-resolution imaging, data-rich analytical methods, and in-situ testing and manipulation to probe a wide range of length scales and create advanced experimental methods for multidisciplinary materials science research. The simultaneous and/or precisely correlated application of multiple analysis modalities (imaging, diffraction, plus chemical and electronic property measurements) and in-situ sample manipulation capabilities (heating, cooling, mechanical stress, and environment) empower the discovery of new scientific knowledge and make possible transformational advances in critical materials fields, including advanced functional materials, high-performance structural materials, and forward-looking engineered biomaterials. Of particular focus are meso-scale heterogeneities within a material's structure and composition, the study of which clarifies the important linkages from individual dislocations, grain substructure, and damage initiation to full-scale devices, polycrystal aggregates, and bioengineered fibers and tissue scaffolds. These studies allow researchers to fill critical gaps in the fundamental understanding of meso-scale phenomena and structure-property relationships within the atoms-to-applications continuum.