MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for West Chester University, a Primarily Undergraduate Institution

该奖项由主要研究仪器和化学研究仪器计划共同支持。宾夕法尼亚州的西切斯特大学正在购买一台场发射扫描电子显微镜（FE-SEM），该显微镜与一台能量色散光谱仪相结合，以支持Kurt Kolasinski教授及其同事豪厄尔Bosbyshell、布兰登米切尔、约翰皮肖塔和李安斯罗吉的研究。该仪器有助于化学、生物、物理、地质和地球科学的研究。扫描电子显微镜用于成像和理解纳米和中尺度的化学现象。聚焦电子束扫描表面以生成SEM图像并随后产生信号，揭示了关于样品的组成和拓扑结构的信息。该工具增强了许多部门各级学生的教育，研究和教学努力，并提供了在附近机构使用的无障碍环境。该工具被至少三个部门利用，并与当地社区学院和组织开展外联活动。FE-SEM奖旨在加强各级研究和教育，特别是在生物学，化学，地球科学和物理学等领域。研究重点是纳米材料结构的阐明，纳米颗粒与环境的相互作用，以及包括成像和微观分析的基本地球材料和过程。高分辨率成像和化学分析是研究薄膜、纳米材料和多孔固体的关键，因此我们可以建立尺寸-结构-性质的关系。此外，其他研究包括评估金属纳米颗粒对纯细菌培养物和生物膜中微生物群落的抗菌活性，以更好地了解纳米生态毒理学。它还有助于重建矿物颗粒的微观结构和化学成分，整合与火山灾害有关的山带和岩浆房过程的构造-热演化模型的空间组成。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

This award is jointly supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Programs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is acquiring a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) coupled to an energy dispersive spectrometer to support the research of Professor Kurt Kolasinski and colleagues Howell Bosbyshell, Brandon Mitchell, John Pisciotta, and LeeAnn Srogi. This instrument facilitates research in chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and earth sciences. Scanning electron microscopy is used to image and understand chemical phenomena at the nano and mesoscales. A focused electron beam, which is scanned over a surface to generate a SEM image and subsequently produces signals, reveals information about the composition and topology of a sample. This instrument enhances the educational, research, and teaching efforts of students at all levels in many departments as well as provides accessibility for use at nearby institutions. The instrument is leveraged by at least three departments and in outreach activities with local community colleges and organizations.The award for the FE-SEM is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as biology, chemistry, earth sciences, and physics. Research focuses on nanomaterial structure elucidation, interactions of nanoparticles with the environment, and fundamental Earth materials and processes that encompass imaging and microanalysis. High-resolution imaging and chemical analysis are key for studying thin films, nanomaterials, and porous solids so that we size-structure-property relationships can be established. In addition, other investigations include evaluation of antimicrobial activity of metallic nanoparticles against pure bacterial cultures and microbial communities in biofilms to better understand nano-ecotoxicology. It also assists in reconstructing microscale textures and chemical compositions of mineral grains, integrating spatial-composition of model tectono-thermal evolution of mountain belts and magma chamber processes associated with volcanic hazards.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.