EPSRC Core Equipment Award 2020: University of Warwick

我们能够快速和常规地获取关于实验室或自然生产的分子、材料和设备的组成、结构、形态和功能的信息，这是工程和物理科学(EPS)许多进步和突破的核心。为了有效地实现这一点，至关重要的是能够低门槛地访问尖端仪器和用于模拟、建模和数据处理的可扩展计算资源。这项提案中要求的资金将在我们的聚合物表征、科学计算、光谱和X射线衍射研究技术平台(RTPS)和华威超快光谱中心(WCUS)内提供新的多用户设备，并对现有设备进行改进和延长使用寿命，以确保华威大学(UW)的研究人员能够使用最先进的EPS基础设施。UW在每股收益方面的长期卓越根植于对设备、基础设施、人员和培训的战略投资。所需设备包括：1.最先进的热重分析仪(TGA)和差示扫描量热仪(DSC)，以补充我们最近在聚合物表征RTP热分析套件上的投资。这些技术有助于了解材料的热性质，如分解温度。连续波电子顺磁共振(CW-EPR)光谱仪的升级。CW-EPR允许直接检测自由基等顺磁性物种，这对于理解一系列应用是必不可少的。替换气室，使我们的X射线衍射RTP中的粉末X射线衍射仪(X射线衍射仪)能够进行现场实验。这使得测量能够模拟使用或准备材料的环境。用于我们的科学计算RTP的任务场服务器，用于支持不适合我们最近在高性能计算(HPC)群集和机房方面的重大投资的小规模工作。这台设备可以实现规模小但运行时间长的计算。升级光致发光光谱仪，将纳秒时间分辨能力纳入WCUS的近红外。这种方法可以非接触地研究材料的电子和光学性质。拟议的设备将用于促进和加强华盛顿大学的广泛EPS研究，这些研究属于EPSRC的战略范围，并与UW研究战略保持一致。这些新设备将支持来自化学、物理、工程、数学、统计学、计算机科学和WMG的65个学术小组的研究，这些小组致力于不同领域的研究，包括：催化、能源材料、制造、医学成像、纳米粒子、纳米复合材料、聚合物材料、汽车和高效交通、个人护理和卫生、农业科学/食品安全、电力电子、半导体、结构工程和数据科学。这项研究通常是在来自两个或更多个科学部门的跨学科团队中进行的。这项投资也将是促进许多学生和早期职业研究人员培训的基础。我们的即时通讯服务计划已有完善的使用者培训计划，并由专责的即时通讯专业人员提供支援，而这些计划亦会提供予外部学者和许多业界合作伙伴。UW致力于确保所需设备得到有效管理和维护，并最大限度地提高使用率。Access将在内部以电子方式和通过设施网页进行宣传，并通过华威科学服务公司对外进行宣传。此外，我们的RT教授提供的设备和专业知识将作为EPSRC资助的华威分析科学中心的一部分在全国范围内传播，并作为由英国研究中心资助的“技术人员主导的设备共享”人才链的一部分在整个米德兰兹创新(MI)中传播。

Our ability to rapidly and routinely obtain information about the composition, structure, morphology and function of molecules, materials and devices produced in the laboratory, or by nature, is central to many advances and breakthroughs in the Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS). To enable this to happen effectively, it is vital to have low-barrier access to both cutting edge instrumentation and to scalable computational resource for simulation, modelling and data processing. The funds requested in this proposal will provide new multi-user equipment, and add improvements and lifetime to existing equipment, within our Polymer Characterisation, Scientific Computing, Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction Research Technology Platforms (RTPs), and the Warwick Centre for Ultrafast Spectroscopy (WCUS), to ensure that researchers at the University of Warwick (UW) have access to a state-of-the-art infrastructure for EPS. UW's long-term excellence in EPS is firmly rooted in strategic investment in equipment, infrastructure, people and training. The equipment requested includes: 1. State of the art thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) machines to complement our recent investment in the thermal analysis suite in the Polymer Characterisation RTP. These techniques helps understanding of materials thermal properties, such as temperature of decomposition.2. Upgrade of continuous wave Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (CW-EPR) spectrometer in our Spectroscopy RTP. CW-EPR allows direct detection of paramagnetic species like free radicals, essential for understanding in a range of applications.3. Replacement gas chamber to enable in situ experiments on powder X-ray diffractometers (XRD) in our X-ray Diffraction RTP. This enables measurements that mimic the environments in which materials are used or prepared.4. Taskfarm servers for our Scientific Computing RTP to support small scale work that is unsuitable for our recent significant investment in high performance computing (HPC) clusters and machine room. This equipment enables small scale but long running calculations.5. Upgrade of photoluminescence spectrometer to include nanosecond time resolved capabilities into the near infrared for WCUS. This method allows non-contact study of the electronic and optical properties of materials.The proposed equipment will be used to facilitate and strengthen a wide range of EPS research at UW that falls within EPSRC's strategic remit and aligns to the UW research strategy. The new equipment will underpin the research of >65 academic groups from Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science and WMG, working in diverse fields, including: catalysis, energy materials, manufacturing, medical imaging, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, polymer materials, automotive and efficient transport, personal care and hygiene, agroscience/food security, power electronics, semiconductors, structural engineering and data science. Often this research is carried out in interdisciplinary teams from two or more of the science departments. This investment will also be fundamental to facilitating the training of many students, and early career researchers. Our RTPs have well established programmes of user training and support from our dedicated RTProfs, and these are also offered to external academics and many industry partners. UW is committed to ensuring that the equipment requested is effectively managed and maintained, and that usage is maximised. Access will be advertised internally electronically and via the facility webpages and externally through Warwick Scientific Services. In addition, access to the equipment and expertise provided by our RTProfs will be disseminated nationally as part of the EPSRC funded Warwick Analytical Science Centre and across Midlands Innovation (MI) as part of the 'Technician Led Equipment Sharing' strand of TALENT, funded by Research England.