MRI: Acquisition of a Powder X-Ray Diffractometer (PXRD) for Interdisciplinary Research and Research Training

MRI：购买粉末 X 射线衍射仪 (PXRD) 用于跨学科研究和研究培训

• 批准号: 1828144
• 负责人: Samuel Amanuel
• 金额: $ 32.74万
• 依托单位: Union College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-01 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1828144&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Powder; Ray; Diffractometer

High quality powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data is required to fully characterize the crystalline structure of materials, and has wide ranging applicability in the sciences and engineering. Research activities at Union College that require PXRD span the departments of mechanical engineering, physics and astronomy, chemistry and geology, and the interdisciplinary programs of nanoscience and environmental science, policy and engineering. The major fundamental scientific questions under investigation include: (1) How can the photo-efficiencies of thin film solar materials be improved? (2) How can new nanomaterials be used in applications such as protective coatings and nanoelectronics? (3) What role do interfacial molecules play in the phase transitions of nanomaterials? (4) How can better aerogel materials be created to reduce automotive pollution? (5) How can unwanted phase changes occurring in the production and storage of chocolate be minimized? (6) How old is the solar system and what is the composition of the deep Earth? (7) How do hydrothermal systems record volcanic activity? The research and research training to be enabled will further strengthen Union's longstanding commitment to incorporate research as an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum and to develop innovative, multidisciplinary research and teaching opportunities through state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instrument will be used in at least eight regularly offered courses serving approximately 180-200 students annually, nearly 10% of the student population. The instrument will fundamentally improve the way diffraction can be taught, allowing students to better engage with the concept of three-dimensional crystal structures and visualization. This new instrumentation will also serve as a bridge to link classroom and research experiences. The instrument will be used in over thirty undergraduate research projects annually, including many students from traditionally underrepresented groups. The mentoring students receive through their projects and courses will prepare students well to move on to either graduate school or productive careers in STEM fields.This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports Union College to acquire a new powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) system with low angle and variable temperature capabilities that will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing research efforts by increasing instrument sensitivity, reducing collection times, adding a 2D detector and controlled sample environments, and providing a modern, more user friendly operating interface. The new PXRD platform affords versatile powder diffraction applications including phase identification, quantitative analysis, percent crystallinity, crystallite size and lattice strain analyses, particle size, precise lattice parameter determination, pole figures, and Rietveld refinement. A key advantage of the system is its high-speed detector, which is relatively maintenance free and requires no cooling, no detector gas, and no wire replacements. This diffractometer has automatic alignment, an advanced software system, and cross beam optics capability, that combine to create a flexible, intelligence-based data collection platform. In addition to supporting current research projects, this new instrument will allow the PI's to continue to develop new and innovative research programs that have potential to be transformative in areas of applied science related to sustainability and clean energy as well as in several subfields of fundamental science including condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, planetary science, and geochemistry. PXRD data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and undergraduate theses and presented at professional society conferences (e.g. the American Chemical Society, the Materials Research Society, the American Institute of Physics, the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, the Meteoritical Society, and the American Physical Society). Access will be provided to collaborators and outside researchers who might benefit from accessing archives of primary data to support their own research initiatives.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

高质量的粉末X射线衍射（PXRD）数据是全面表征材料晶体结构所必需的，在科学和工程中具有广泛的适用性。联合学院需要PXRD的研究活动跨越机械工程，物理学和天文学，化学和地质学的部门，以及纳米科学和环境科学，政策和工程的跨学科课程。研究的主要基础科学问题包括：（1）如何提高薄膜太阳能材料的光效率？(2)如何将新的纳米材料用于保护涂层和纳米电子学等应用？(3)界面分子在纳米材料的相变过程中起什么作用？(4)如何创造更好的气凝胶材料来减少汽车污染？(5)如何最大限度地减少巧克力生产和储存过程中发生的不必要的相变？(6)太阳系的年龄是多少？地球的组成是什么？(7)热液系统如何记录火山活动？将启用的研究和研究培训将进一步加强联盟的长期承诺，将研究作为本科课程的一个组成部分，并通过最先进的仪器开发创新，多学科的研究和教学机会。该工具将用于至少八个定期提供的课程，每年为大约180-200名学生提供服务，占学生总数的近10%。该仪器将从根本上改善衍射的教学方式，使学生能够更好地参与三维晶体结构和可视化的概念。这种新的仪器也将作为一个桥梁，连接课堂和研究经验。该工具将用于每年超过30个本科研究项目，包括许多学生从传统上代表性不足的群体。指导学生通过他们的项目和课程获得将为学生做好准备，以便进入研究生院或STEM领域的生产性职业生涯。来自主要研究仪器计划的这一奖项支持联合学院获得新的粉末X射线衍射（PXRD）具有低角度和可变温度能力的系统，将通过增加仪器来提高正在进行的研究工作的有效性和效率该系统具有高灵敏度、缩短采集时间、增加2D检测器和受控样品环境，以及提供现代化的、更加用户友好的操作界面等优点。新的PXRD平台提供多功能粉末衍射应用，包括相鉴定、定量分析、结晶度百分比、晶粒尺寸和晶格应变分析、粒度、精确晶格参数测定、极图和Rietveld精修。该系统的一个关键优势是其高速检测器，相对而言无需维护，不需要冷却，不需要检测气体，也不需要更换电线。该衍射仪具有自动校准、先进的软件系统和交叉光束光学功能，这些功能联合收割机共同构成了一个灵活、智能的数据采集平台。除了支持当前的研究项目外，这一新工具还将使PI能够继续开发新的和创新的研究项目，这些项目有可能在与可持续性和清洁能源相关的应用科学领域以及基础科学的几个子领域发生变革，包括凝聚态物理学，材料化学，行星科学和地球化学。PXRD数据将发表在同行评审期刊和本科生论文上，并在专业学会会议上发表（例如美国化学学会，材料研究学会，美国物理学会，美国地球物理联合会，美国地质学会，气象学会和美国物理学会）。访问将提供给合作者和外部研究人员谁可能受益于访问原始数据的档案，以支持自己的研究initiatives.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

项目成果

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• DOI: 10.1007/s40825-020-00165-z
• 发表时间: 2020-06
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PGM nanoparticle-based alumina aerogels for three-way catalyst applications

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• DOI: 10.1016/j.catcom.2022.106547
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Catalysis Communications
• 影响因子: 3.7
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• 通讯作者: Carroll, Mary K.

Twenty years of aerogel research at an undergraduate institution

• DOI: 10.1007/s10971-022-06034-1
• 发表时间: 2023-02-04
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• 影响因子: 2.5
• 作者: Carroll，Mary K.;Anderson，Ann M.
• 通讯作者: Anderson，Ann M.