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

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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.