MRI: Acquisition of a Transmission Electron Microscope for Multidisciplinary Research and Education in Materials Science, Biology and Anthropology

非技术描述透射电子显微镜(TEM)是研究各种材料和物体的微米和纳米尺寸特征的中心。获得电子显微镜仪器对于进行现代材料科学研究以及在生物学和考古学等其他领域扩大理解的极限至关重要。该仪器支持的具体项目包括微电子、自我修复材料、替代能源和半导体物理。收购这一新的透射电子显微镜最终完成了地区性电子显微镜设施的创建，可供该地区的教育和研究机构以及地区性公司和行业使用，如石油和天然气、航空航天和先进制造。一门专注于电子显微镜理论和实践方面的新课程为学生提供了关键的教育和培训。外展活动包括俄克拉荷马州各地的小学、中学和四年制大学生，他们通过一个基于网络的远程显微镜计划。这一学生群体包括许多来自传统上在科学和技术学科中代表性不足的群体。这一重大研究仪器奖是为了表彰塔尔萨大学购买了一台具有数字成像功能的120KV透射电子显微镜、高分辨率物镜、能量色散X射线能谱(EDS)和扫描透射电子显微镜(S/透射电子显微镜)。该透射电子显微镜系统可用于研究纳米电池如何提高其容量、复合材料的自感知机制、微藻生物工程以提高生物燃料生产、烹饪发明的史前证据、用于传感和医疗的氨基酸分子组装、在电化学偏压下形成的纳米晶体的性质以及铁电异质结构中的极化耦合现象。瞬变技术还为保护和分析文化遗产文物的独特和潜在的变革性研究创造了潜力。此次收购的目标是将新仪器集成到塔尔萨大学的微纳制造和表征实验室(Nano Lab)中。这一奖励反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical DescriptionTransmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is central to the study of micrometer- and nanometer-sized features across a wide range of materials and objects. Access to TEM instruments is critical for conducting modern materials science research and for pushing the limits of understanding in other fields as diverse as biology and archeology. Specific projects that this instrument supports include microelectronics, self-healing materials, alternative energy sources, and semiconductor physics. Acquisition of this new TEM finalizes the creation of a regional electron microscope facility, available for use by educational and research institutions in the area and by regional companies and industries such as oil and gas, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. A new course focused on the theoretical and practical aspects of electron microscopy provides critical education and training to students. Outreach activities involve primary, secondary and four-year college students across the State of Oklahoma through a web-based tele-microscopy program. This student population includes many from traditionally under-represented groups in science and technology disciplines. Technical DescriptionThis Major Research Instrumentation award is for acquisition of a 120 kV transmission electron microscope with digital imaging, a high-resolution objective lens, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) at The University of Tulsa. This TEM system enables research projects such as studying how nano-batteries can increase their capacities, self-sensing mechanisms of composite materials, bioengineering of microalgae for enhanced biofuel production, prehistoric evidence for the invention of cooking, molecular assembly of amino acids for sensing and medical treatments, properties of nanocrystals formed under electrochemical bias, and polarization coupling phenomena in ferroelectric heterostructures. The TEM also creates the potential for unique and potentially transformative research on the preservation and analysis of cultural heritage artifacts. The goal of this TEM acquisition is to integrate the new instrument into the Micro and Nano Fabrication and Characterization Laboratory (Nano Lab) at The University of Tulsa.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.