An Electron Diffractometer for Nanomaterial Structure Characterisation

用于纳米材料结构表征的电子衍射仪

• 批准号: EP/X030083/1
• 负责人: Ross Forgan
• 金额: $ 236.6万
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX030083%2F1
• 关键词: Electron; Diffractometer; Nanomaterial; Structure; Characterisation

Determination of how atoms are precisely arranged within a crystal is essential for scientists to understand the properties of a material, be it a drug, part of an electrical device, or even a component of a much larger ensemble. For a number of years, X-ray diffraction has been the gold standard, where crystals of the target material are hit with an X-ray beam, and analysis of the resulting diffraction of the X-rays allows the structure to be determined. This technique has underpinned famous scientific breakthroughs such as understanding the structure of penicillin, the first antibiotic, and the DNA double helix, both of which were achieved in the UK. However, despite huge advances in X-ray crystallography it still requires crystals around 10 microns in size, which is approximately the diameter of a water droplet in a cloud. As such, only certain materials can be studied by this technique, and often not in the form they will used, meaning there is a major gap in our capability for examining materials with particle sizes smaller than this.In this project, we propose to purchase one of the world's first commercial electron diffractometers. This state-of-the-art technique uses diffraction of electrons instead of X-rays, and means much smaller samples can be analysed, including so-called nanomaterials. Electron diffraction can be used to analyse samples that are approximately 200 times smaller than X-ray diffraction, hugely expanding the scope of materials which can be structurally characterised. As such, widespread uptake of electron diffraction will result in a genuine step-change in how we make and understand materials.We will install the diffractometer in the University of Glasgow's Analytical Suite, alongside other equipment that is used to determine the structure of materials, to generate a comprehensive regional facility with state-of-the-art expertise and infrastructure. The facility will serve a wide range of scientists at Glasgow and at other universities and companies across northern UK. We will work closely with existing consortia of experts in diffraction, such as the National Crystallography Service, to ensure that the needs of the UK scientific community are analysed and strategically served through provision of appropriate expertise, equipment, infrastructure, and support. In doing so, we will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of materials science and maintains its position as a world-leader in diffraction, and stimulate a whole range of new research projects in diverse areas such as pharmaceutical manufacturing and ultramodern energy materials, to benefit the UK economy and overall research and innovation strategy.

确定原子如何精确排列在晶体内的确定对于科学家来说，了解材料的特性，无论是药物，电气设备的一部分，甚至是更大的合奏的成分。多年来，X射线衍射一直是金标准，其中目标材料的晶体被X射线束击中，并且对X射线的产生衍射的分析允许确定结构。这项技术为著名的科学突破提供了基础，例如了解青霉素的结构，第一种抗生素和DNA双螺旋，这两者在英国都实现了。但是，尽管X射线晶体学的进展很大，但仍需要大约10微米的晶体，这大约是云中水滴的直径。因此，只能通过该技术研究某些材料，并且通常不会以它们使用的形式研究，这意味着我们的能力有一个主要的差距，用于检查小于此的颗粒尺寸的材料。在这个项目中，我们建议购买世界上第一个商业电子电子衍射仪之一。这种最先进的技术使用电子的衍射而不是X射线，这意味着可以分析较小的样品，包括所谓的纳米材料。电子衍射可用于分析比X射线衍射小约200倍的样品，从而大大扩展了可以在结构上表征的材料范围。因此，电子衍射的广泛吸收将导致真正的逐步变化。我们将在格拉斯哥大学的分析套件中安装衍射仪，以及用于确定材料结构的其他设备，以确定材料的结构，以生成一个全面的区域设施，并具有正面的现有专业知识和基金。该设施将在格拉斯哥以及英国北部的其他大学和公司提供广泛的科学家。我们将与现有的衍射专家联盟（例如国家晶体学服务）紧密合作，以确保通过提供适当的专业知识，设备，基础设施和支持，对英国科学界的需求进行分析和战略性。在此过程中，我们将确保英国保持材料科学的最前沿，并保持其作为衍射世界领导者的地位，并刺激各种领域的新研究项目，例如制药制造和超现代能源材料，以使英国经济和整体研究和创新战略受益。