MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope

田纳西理工大学将从主要研究仪器项目获得这一奖项，获得一台带有能量色散光谱(EDS)附件的可变压力扫描电子显微镜和辅助样品制备设备，用于多学科、综合研究和教学。该仪器将为工程学院、艺术与科学学院和田纳西理工大学的三个国家资助的英才中心的所有系提供核心设施。正在进行的具体研究或拟在以下领域进行的研究将有益于：(1)硅酸盐水泥中废物的水化动力学，(2)来自固体掺杂来源的硼在硅上的受控沉积，(3)通过断口观察确定断裂韧性，(4)疲劳裂纹前沿演化跟踪，(5)微电子机械(MEMS)器件的原位力学测试，(6)Laves相的点缺陷和断裂力学，(7)金属间合金的环境脆化，(8)用于固体氧化物燃料电池中的互连材料的新型涂层，(9)军团菌与原生动物之间的营养相互作用，(10)原生动物与分枝杆菌种的相互作用；(11)原生动物的群落结构；(12)微体化石的鉴定与表征。新设施还将用于为本科生和研究生增加现有的实验室机会，进一步开发正在进行的NSF资助的课程课程和实验室改进项目，并促进与当地小学和高中的更多互动。获得主要研究仪器计划的这一奖项后，田纳西理工大学(TTU)将获得一台带有能量色散光谱分析附件的可变压力扫描电子显微镜(SEM)，以及用于多学科、综合研究和教育的辅助样品制备设备。TTU通过提供高排名的地区性大学环境，为田纳西州和周边各州服务。因此，TTU的教职员工主要从事为地区工业社区服务的应用研究。购置仪器，例如拟议的扫描电子显微镜，使交通大学能够通过提供最先进的设施来培训学生、进行工业成分的应用研究以及吸引和进行基础研究，从而实现其对社会的使命和义务。新的扫描电子系统将成为一个核心设施，支持交通运输大学目前和未来的一系列跨学科研究和教育活动。目前的研究项目包括波特兰水泥废物的利用，先进燃料电池应用材料的开发，金属和陶瓷机械行为的基础研究，病原体-细胞相互作用的微生物学和单细胞动物行为的研究，以及微化石的调查。新设施还将用于为本科生和研究生增加现有的实验室机会，进一步开发正在进行的NSF资助的课程课程和实验室改进项目，并促进与当地小学和高中的更多互动。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Tennessee Technological University will acquire acquire a variable pressure scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) attachment and ancillary sample preparation equipment for multidisciplinary, integrated research and education. The instrument will provide a core facility for all departments in the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences and Tennessee Technological University's three State funded Centers of Excellence. Specific ongoing research or proposed research in the following areas will benefit: (1) hydration kinetics of waste materials in portland cement, (2) controlled deposition of boron on silicon from solid dopant sources, (3) fracture toughness determination by fractographic observation, (4) fatigue crack front evolution tracking, (5) in situ mechanical testing of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices, (6) point defect and fracture mechanics of Laves phases, (7) environmental embrittlement of intermetalic alloys, (8) novel coatings for interconnect materials in solid oxide fuel cells, (9) trophic interactions between Legionella and protozoa, (10) interactions of protozoa and mycobacteria species, (11) community structure of protozoa, and (12) identification and characterization of microfossils. The new facility will also be used to enhance existing laboratory opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, further develop ongoing NSF funded Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement projects and promote greater interaction with local area elementary and high schools.With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Tennessee Technological University (TTU) will acquire acquire a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectroscopy attachment and ancillary sample preparation equipment for multidisciplinary, integrated research and education. TTU serves Tennessee and the surrounding states by providing a highly ranked regional university environment. As such, the TTU faculty is primarily involved in applied research serving the regional industrial community. The acquisition of instruments, such as the proposed scanning electron microscope, enables TTU to achieve its mission and obligation to this community by providing state-of-the-art facilities to train students, to conduct applied research for industrial constituents and to attract and conduct basic research. The new SEM is to be a core facility in support of a wide range of ongoing and future interdisciplinary research and educational activities at TTU. Current research programs include utilization of waste in portland cement, development of materials for advanced fuel cell applications, fundamental studies regarding the mechanical behavior of metals and ceramics, microbiology of pathogen-cell interactions and single cell animal behavior and investigation of microfossils. The new facility will also be used to enhance existing laboratory opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, further develop ongoing NSF funded Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement projects and promote greater interaction with local area elementary and high schools.