MRI: Acquisition of a High-Resolution Analytical Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Materials and Engineering Research

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Non-Technical DescriptionThis Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the acquisition of a transmission electron microscope capable of high resolution imaging and elemental composition analysis. The instrument is housed in the new Physics and Astronomy Interdisciplinary Sciences building at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and is part of a university-wide suite of instruments devoted to materials research. The instrument benefits faculty investigators, students and post-doctoral associates from seven different departments on the campus. It provides opportunities to train graduate and undergraduate students in advanced methods of materials characterization. The greatly expanded capabilities for new types of analysis lead to a significant improvement in the kind of research that can be conducted. This instrument is the first open access aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) in the Rio Grande corridor and is available to researchers at other academic institutions and industry. UNM is a Hispanic Serving Institution, hence significant numbers of students from underrepresented groups (Hispanic and Native American) benefit from this facility. The instrument is integrated into graduate and undergraduate courses and also used for demonstrations aimed at K-12 students and teachers to enhance their interest in science and engineering.Technical DescriptionThe transmission electron microscope is equipped with spherical aberration correctors to enable a finely focused probe scanning across the specimen, allowing images obtained in S/TEM mode. In addition, the dual, large-area, x-ray detectors enable rapid acquisition of spatially resolved elemental composition maps. Research projects enabled by the instrument include studies of novel catalysts for exhaust emissions control and for energy storage, fuel cells using earth abundant metals, inorganic membranes that permit gas separation at elevated temperatures, nanoparticles for drug delivery, and interface defects in semiconductor materials used in solar cells and in optical communications. The microscope is also used to study the environmental impact of toxic metals from mine wastes. The development of novel alloy compositions for nuclear reactors, improved cements to fortify deep underground exploration in oil wells, and ultra-conductive metal nanocarbon composites is also enabled by this instrument.This Major Research Instrumentation grant is supported using NSF funds allocated to the Division of Materials Research (DMR), Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET), and Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.