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）是研究微米和纳米尺寸特征的核心，涉及广泛的材料和物体。获得TEM仪器对于进行现代材料科学研究以及推动生物学和考古学等其他领域的理解极限至关重要。该仪器支持的具体项目包括微电子、自愈材料、替代能源和半导体物理。收购这个新的TEM完成了一个区域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该地区的公司和行业（如石油和天然气，航空航天和先进制造业）使用。一门新的课程侧重于电子显微镜的理论和实践方面，为学生提供重要的教育和培训。通过一个基于网络的远程显微镜项目，外展活动涉及俄克拉荷马州的小学、中学和四年制大学生。这些学生包括许多来自传统上代表性不足的科学和技术学科群体。该主要研究仪器奖是为了在塔尔萨大学获得一台120千伏的带有数字成像、高分辨率物镜、能量色散x射线光谱（EDS）和扫描透射电子显微镜（S/TEM）的透射电子显微镜。该TEM系统支持研究项目，如研究纳米电池如何提高其容量，复合材料的自我传感机制，微藻的生物工程以增强生物燃料生产，烹饪发明的史前证据，用于传感和医疗的氨基酸分子组装，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。TEM还为文化遗产的保存和分析创造了独特和潜在的变革性研究的潜力。此次TEM收购的目标是将新仪器集成到塔尔萨大学的微纳米制造和表征实验室（纳米实验室）中。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.