MRI: Acquisition of an X-ray Computed Nanotomography system with in situ material testing to advance understanding of natural and engineered materials

该重大研究仪器（MRI）奖支持购买配备原位机械和热材料测试的X射线计算机纳米断层扫描（nanoCT）系统，从而实现生物，地质和工程材料的基础研究。该项目将推进增材制造，生物医学工程，地球和环境系统，能源和智能材料以及可持续，弹性基础设施材料的关键研究。高成像分辨率和原位测试能力将被用来增强对增材制造部件的孔隙率形成和完整性的理解，用于生物医学应用的材料和基于纳米颗粒的新型药物疗法的设计，天然和工程地质材料中的水化学机械过程，以及能源和智能聚合物材料的结构-性能关系和设计。作为一个公开的资源，该奖项将提供新的研究，推广，教学和学生培训的机会，学生，教师和工作人员在奥本大学和区域机构。此外，这一工具将通过纳入本科和研究生课程来丰富教育，并将鼓励代表性不足的学生通过参与包括奥本大学的妇女参与工程营和工程学术卓越计划在内的外联活动来追求STEM领域。这种X射线nanoCT将促进材料的非破坏性3D成像，其中材料转换可以使用时间推移成像来捕获。这种nanoCT具有新的先进材料测试阶段，能够以高达100 nm的分辨率对样品进行成像，并在温度变化（-20摄氏度至85摄氏度）或压缩或拉伸载荷下进行成像。先进的功能将允许增强对增材制造部件中导致孔生成的过程的理解，以及这些孔对部件结构完整性的影响。该仪器还将促进基础研究，以推进基于纳米颗粒的新型药物疗法，改善呼吸系统疾病和癌症的诊断，新型隐形眼镜和生物医学应用新型材料的设计。借助纳米CT，将表征地质多孔介质中的多尺度连通孔隙度和矿物可及表面积。延时成像将与现场实验相结合，以评估由于地球化学反应和/或施加的机械力和热力而引起的孔隙结构和裂缝的反应性变化，从而改变对地质系统中热-水-化学-机械过程的理解。聚合物材料的高分辨率成像将增加从纳米到宏观尺度的结构-性能关系的理解，产生设计新一代功能纳米材料所需的知识。此外，对基础设施材料结构的观察以及在原位荷载和一系列环境条件下局部变形的开始和演变将改变对材料特性和失效机制的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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来支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of an X-ray Computed Nanotomography (nanoCT) system equipped with in situ mechanical and thermal material testing that enables fundamental research in biological, geological, and engineered materials. This project will advance critical research in additive manufacturing, biomedical engineering, earth and environmental systems, energy and smart materials, and sustainable, resilient infrastructure materials. High imaging resolutions and in-situ testing capabilities will be leveraged to enhance understanding of porosity formation and the integrity of additively manufactured parts, materials for biomedical applications and design of novel nanoparticle-based drug therapies, hydro-chemical-mechanical processes in natural and engineered geomaterials, and structure-property relationships and design of energy and smart polymeric materials. As a publicly available resource, this award will provide new research, outreach, teaching and student training opportunities to students, faculty, and staff at Auburn University and regional institutions. In addition, this instrument will enrich education through integration into undergraduate and graduate courses and will encourage underrepresented students to pursue STEM fields through inclusion in outreach activities including Auburn University's Women in Engineering camps and the Engineering Academic Excellence Program. This X-ray nanoCT will facilitate non-destructive 3D imaging of materials where material transformations can be captured using time-lapsed imaging. This nanoCT features new advanced material testing stages, abilities to image specimens at resolutions as high as 100 nm and under variations in temperatures (-20 degrees C to 85 degrees C) or with compressive or tensile loads. Advanced capabilities will permit an enhanced understanding of the processes leading to pore generation in additively manufactured parts, and the impact of these pores on the structural integrity of parts. This instrument will additionally enable fundamental research towards advancing novel nanoparticle-based drug therapies, improved diagnosis of respiratory diseases and cancer, new contact lenses and the design of novel materials for biomedical applications. With the aid of the nanoCT, multi-scale connected porosity and mineral accessible surface areas in geologic porous media will be characterized. Time-lapsed imaging will be coupled with in situ experiments to evaluate the reactive changes in pore structures and fractures due to geochemical reactions and/or applied mechanical and thermal forces, transforming understanding of thermo-hydro-chemical-mechanical processes in geologic systems. High-resolution imaging of polymeric materials will increase understanding of structure-property relationships from the nano- to macro-scale, generating the knowledge needed for designing a new generation of functional nanomaterials. Furthermore, the observations of infrastructure material structures and the inception and evolution of localized deformation under in situ loading and in a range of environmental conditions will transform the understanding of material characteristics and failure mechanisms.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.