MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to Enhance Surface Science and Nanochemistry at Saint Francis University

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This award is funded by the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) and Chemical Instrumentation (CRIF) programs. Professor Edward Zovinka from Saint Francis University and colleague Rose Clark are acquiring an atomic force microscope (AFM). The microscope is a powerful tool for studying the surface of a material. It uses a very small probe which scans across a surface to measure the forces between the probe and the surface. This produces an image of the surface with information on the structure of the surface, its properties and on materials adsorbed on the surface. The AFM data provides basic understanding of complicated surface phenomenon at the atomic level. The research projects supported by this award are interdisciplinary involving analytical chemistry (surface science), biophysical chemistry (protein electrochemistry), and inorganic/environmental analysis. The acquisition supports the educational goals of the faculty to train undergraduates to use major research instrumentation and to develop skills in data collection and interpretation. The instrument is also used in an outreach program to high school students to encourage them to pursue STEM fields. Several collaborators are involved in the research projects using this atomic force microscope. One project involves the use of the microscope to characterize surfaces in acid mine drainage (AMD) processes. The goal is to better understand armoring of calcite and aluminum removal from AMD effluent. Another project uses the AFM to better understand new peptide self-assembled monolayers. In this project peptide self-assembled monolayers (SAMS) are employed to bind to cytochrome c. The researchers are working to develop new insights into the surface microenvironment and how it influences formal potential and kinetic mechanisms of proteins, paving the way for development of more advanced electrochemical biosensors.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.