MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope to Enhance Research Collaborations and Educational Needs among Colleges and Universities in the New England Area

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This award is funded by the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) and Chemical Instrumentation (CRIF) programs. Professor Niya Sa from University of Massachusetts Boston and colleagues Robyn Hannigan, Michelle Foster, Nolan Flynn (Wellesley College) and Sarah Soltau (Bridgewater State University) have acquired a high resolution, scanning electron microscope (HRes SEM) with the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) capability. A SEM/EDS focuses a beam of electrons at a sample. The electrons interact with the surface to produce a visual image of the material and identify its chemical elements. These images reveal details of the material such as the size and shape of nanoparticles on the surface or surface roughness. Such images help to understand the properties of the material. One application is investigating the use of silicon as a potentially better anode material for a lithium ion battery. Another study is investigating titanium dioxide, a semiconductor, which is used in dye sensitized solar cells to improve their efficiency. The instrument is in a shared use facility available to other institutions in the local region including Bridgewater State University, Wellesley College, Emmanuel College, Bard College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Bunker Hill Community College. It enhances the training of graduate and undergraduate students in research course instruction. The scanning electron microscope is a powerful analytical tool for identifying chemical composition qualitatively and semi-quantitatively of various species. It is being used in a number of important research areas. Energy related projects include investigations of silicon as an anode material for Li ion batteries and titanium dioxide as a support material for dye sensitized solar cells. Multivalent ion battery research is being pursued to learn how magnesium can be deposited from non-aqueous electrolytes. Research is focusing on the biomineralization of carbonate-based structures (bivalve and crustacean shells) as temperature and acidification changes in the aqueous environment. Thin films composed of metal particles with at least one dimension on the nanometer scale possess novel physicochemical properties which are being investigated. Potential uses are in information storage, biosensing and chemical sensing, as well as in heterogeneous catalyst applications. Other research seeks insights into distribution and organization of metal nanoparticles in a matrix under controlled conditions.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.