EPSRC Capital Award for Core Equipment 2020/21

该提案要求的设备项目将支持格拉斯哥大学科学与工程学院先进材料科学的研究人员。我们要求下列物品：(i) x射线衍射仪。这台机器将使我们能够检查一系列材料的结构，从凝胶到塑料薄膜，再到催化固体。它是我们分析战略的重要组成部分，将是我们设施的基石。热重分析仪。这使我们能够了解材料对温度的稳定性，如果它们要在高温环境中使用（例如汽车尾气的组件），这是至关重要的。（iii）差示扫描量热计。这与热重分析仪有关，但它提供了材料在温度相关变化过程中释放或吸收能量的信息，从而提供了大量关于材料行为的信息（例如，电池在充电时是否会改变结构）。（四）电感耦合等离子体发射光谱仪。这台机器使我们能够定量地分析一系列材料的元素组成。因此，我们可以以十亿分之一的精度确定材料的准确元素组成（例如，催化剂系统中贵金属的含量）或水生态系统中金属污染的水平。（五）我们拉曼光谱仪的升级包。这项技术提供了材料中化学键的信息——我们的升级将使我们能够更详细、更高分辨率地检查电池电极和催化剂等材料，以及最先进的传感设备。这些设施将支持格拉斯哥大学在吸引大量内部和外部投资的关键战略领域的现有研究，包括新电池、太阳能电池设备、汽车催化转换器、医疗保健设备和机器人技术的开发。因此，这些项目将支持的研究具有重大的学术、商业和科学影响，该提案将成为未来投资的跳板，同时具有未来的重要能力。

The proposal requests items of equipment that will support researchers in advanced materials science in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Glasgow. We are requesting the following items:(i) An X-ray diffractometer. This machine will allow us to examine the structures of a range of materials, from gels, to plastic films, to catalytic solids. It is a vital component of our analytical strategy, and will be a cornerstone of our facilities.(ii) A thermogravimetric analyser. This allows us to understand the stability of materials to temperature, which is vital if they are to be used in hot environments (e.g. components of car exhausts).(iii) A differential scanning calorimeter. This is related to the thermogravimetric analyser but gives information on the energy released or taken in during temperature-related changes in materials, which gives a wealth of information on how materials behave (e.g. do batteries change structure when charging).(iv) An inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. This machine allows us to quantitatively analyse the elemental composition of a range of materials. As such, we can determine, with accuracy in the parts per billion range, the accurate elemental composition of materials (e.g. how much precious metal is in a catalyst system) or the level of metal-based pollution in our water ecosystem.(v) An upgrade package for our Raman spectrometer. This technique gives information on chemical bonding in materials - our upgrade will allow us to examine materials such as battery electrodes and catalysts, as well as state-of-the-art sensing devices, in more detail and with greater resolution.These facilities will support existing research in the University of Glasgow, in key strategic areas which attract significant internal and external investment, including development of new batteries, solar cell devices, automotive catalytic converters, healthcare devices, and robotics. As such, the research that these items will support has significant academic, commercial, and scientific impact, and this proposal will future-proof vital capabilities while acting as a springboard for future investment.