RUI: Magnetic properties of epsilon-Fe2O3 and alpha-FeOOH: an investigation of phase conversions and cations doping.

岩石、土壤和沉积物等地质材料中存在的氧化铁矿物差异很大，它们的结构、化学组成和磁性反映了这些矿物形成的环境条件。在这项研究中，教师和本科生研究人员合作研究实验室制备的类似地质材料的氧化铁的磁性。参与项目的本科生将参与数据收集和数据分析的实验工作。该研究将使本科生参与原创性研究，培养他们解决问题的能力，从而进一步完成培养使用现代技术和技能的下一代科学家的使命。本研究的目的是研究影响氧化铁形成的物理和化学参数，如时间、温度和离子的可用性。研究人员将研究针铁矿晶格中铁取代物Al + Ni和Al + Cr的竞争过程以及γ-β-ε-α Fe 2 O3多晶型物的转化过程。 通过使用各种技术的组合，室温下的穆斯堡尔谱，以及在高达3 T的外部施加场中从50 K到1000 K的磁力测量，他们将研究铁相的磁性，从而在研究土壤，沉积物和考古材料时获得有价值的信息。 本科生将在夏季和/或常规学年期间从事这项研究工作，接受培训，使用现代仪器和技术研究磁性材料。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The iron oxide minerals present in geological materials such as rocks, soils, and sediment vary greatly, and their structure, chemical makeup, and magnetic properties reflect the environmental conditions in which these minerals were formed. In this research, faculty and undergraduate researchers work in collaboration to investigate the magnetic properties of laboratory-prepared iron oxides similar to geological materials. The undergraduate students involved in the projects will participate in experimental work of data collection and data analysis. The proposed study will engage undergraduate students in original research where they will be trained on how to solve problems, and thus further the mission of training the next generation of scientists using modern technology and techniques.The goal of this Research in Undergraduate Institution (RUI) project is to investigate the physical and chemical parameters such as time, temperature, and the availability of ions that influence iron oxide formation. The researchers will investigate the competitive process of iron substitutions, Al + Ni and Al + Cr, in the lattice of goethite and the conversion process of gamma-beta-epsilon-alpha Fe2O3 polymorphs. By using a combination of techniques, Mössbauer spectroscopy at room temperature, and magnetometry from 50 K to 1000 K in an externally applied field up to 3 T, they will investigate the magnetic properties of the iron phases, resulting in valuable information when studying soils, sediments, and archaeological materials. Undergraduate students will be engaged in this research work during the summer and/or regular school year, trained to use modern instruments and techniques to investigate magnetic materials.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.