MRI: Acquisition of a nanoIR3 for Polymers and Life Science Research

南达科他州矿业公司获得了一台基于原子力显微镜的红外光谱分析仪器(AFM-IR，NanIR3)。通常，纳米IR3将红外光谱和生物材料界面的化学成像结合在一起，分辨率低于10纳米。尤其重要的是，纳米IR3能够提供一种方法来绘制生物材料中红外吸收物种的图谱，将电、热和机械性能关联起来，并在成像表面形貌的同时丰富对样品异质性的理解。因此，NanIR3增强了SD基础设施的状态，以便在生物学和表面工程的交叉点进行跨学科研究，特别是在应用生物学、生物启发工程、生物物理学、化学工程、材料科学和纳米工程等领域。来自纳米IR3研究项目的基础知识将支持创新课程材料的设计、技术研讨会和实践研究培训，以及扩大本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员的参与并提高他们的技术技能。NanIR3支持的项目将丰富其他项目，这些项目将有助于培训和发展下一代STEM工作人员，他们与教职员工一起工作，发展红外光谱和高分辨率AFM显微镜的背景。使用该仪器进行的大部分研究与开发生物基材料和储能材料有关，这些材料将保护环境，实现可持续制造，并增强农业经济在下一代材料合成中的作用。这种新的AFM-IR能力使南达科他州的教职员工和研究中心能够以低于10 nm的空间分辨率研究结构-性质关系，远远低于生物样品、聚合物基复合材料、生物复合材料、纳米复合材料和2D材料的传统光学衍射极限(微米)。由纳米IR3实现的研究将特别有利于首席研究人员与新型可生物降解聚合物的亚细胞特性的设计、合成、表征和调整有关的研究，这些聚合物解决了与使用和更换污染化石燃料塑料有关的主要问题。这一新能力还为纳米材料增强生物聚合物、热塑性塑料、静电纺丝支持的异质结构、堆叠组件或由2D材料形成的混杂复合材料的薄膜的深入化学表征提供了一条途径。能够测量界面和界面区域材料性能的纳米级变化，也使SD研究人员能够开发新一代耐腐蚀保护涂层，并设计出高容量锂离子负极材料，以防止锂离子在固体-电解液界面中过度捕获。总之，纳米红外仪器将使南达科他州矿业公司成为高分辨率AFM-IR分析的中心，支持南达科他州和该地区的研究人员。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

An award is made to South Dakota Mines to acquire an atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy instrument (AFM-IR, nanoIR3). In general, nanoIR3 combines IR spectroscopy and chemical imaging of bio-material interfaces at resolutions below 10 nanometers. Especially important is the ability of nanoIR3 to provide a method for mapping IR-absorbing species in biological materials, correlating the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, and enriching the understanding of the heterogeneity of the sample, while imaging the surface topography. Hence, nanoIR3 enhances the state of SD infrastructure to perform interdisciplinary research at the intersection of biology and surface engineering, especially in the fields of applied biology, bio-inspired engineering, biophysics, chemical engineering, materials science, and nano-engineering. The fundamental knowledge from the nanoIR3 enabled research projects will support the design of innovative course materials, technical workshops, and hands-on research training, as well as broadening the participation and enhancing the technical skills of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. The nanoIR3 supported projects will enrich additional programs that will be instrumental in the training and development of the next-generation STEM workforce who work with the faculty as they develop a background in both IR spectroscopy and high-resolution AFM microscopy. Much of the research to be performed with this instrument is related to developing bio-based materials and energy storage materials that will protect the environment, result in sustainable manufacturing, and enhance the role of the agricultural economy in next generation of materials synthesis.This new AFM-IR capability enables South Dakota faculty and research centers to study structure-property relationships with sub-10 nm spatial resolution, far below the conventional optical diffraction limit (micrometers) for biological specimens, polymer-based composites, bio-composites, nanocomposites, and 2D materials. The research enabled by the nanoIR3 will especially benefit the studies of the principal investigators related to design, synthesis, characterization, and tuning of sub-cellular properties of new biodegradable polymers, which address major issues related to the use and replacement of polluting fossil-fuel based plastics. The new capability also provides a path for in-depth chemical characterization of thin films of nanomaterial-reinforced biopolymers, thermoplastics, electrospinning-enabled heterogeneous structures, stacked assemblies, or hybrid composites formed from 2D materials. The ability to measure nano-scale variations in the material properties at the interfacial and interphase regions also enables SD researchers to develop next-generation protective coatings that will be resistant to corrosion and engineer high-capacity lithium-ion anode materials to resist excessive lithium-ion entrapment in the solid-electrolyte interphase. In summary, the nanoIR instrument will allow South Dakota Mines to become a hub for high-resolution AFM-IR analysis, supporting researchers in the state of South Dakota and the region.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.