Acquisition of an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope for Undergraduate Education in Materials Characterization

通过该补助金获得的研究设备是一台环境扫描电子显微镜（ESEM），配有分析配件和子台。现代ESEM在获得更广泛应用的定性和分析结果方面比传统扫描电子显微镜提供了更大的灵活性。 该系统将结合联合收割机高真空，低真空和气体环境操作，以支持广泛的研究项目。 环境扫描电镜将允许检查不导电的、受污染的、水合的甚至是活的样品，这反过来又将促进更大程度的跨学科研究。 标准的二次和背散射电子检测可以在高真空模式下用于常规操作，或者在低真空模式下用于低概览放大率。 这些探测器也与气体环境兼容，允许检查水合或溶剂基样品。 它们还能耐受高温，使在高达1000 ℃的温度下检查样品成为可能。 显微镜的能力可以通过添加用于能量色散光谱的X射线检测器来进一步提高。 整个系统也将与几个子阶段相结合。 这些子平台允许在任何与显微镜兼容的环境下进行动态实验（机械和热）。该显微镜将用于支持凯特林大学的各种研究活动。 虽然凯特林大学的大部分研究都集中在更多的应用工业项目上，但环境扫描电镜允许对材料表征和行为进行更多的基础研究。 使用环境扫描电镜进行的研究将包括金属样品机械行为的原位表征、聚合物系统的相变、肌肉骨骼疼痛和骨/植入物界面的生物医学研究以及抗癌细胞的抗氧化机制等。环境扫描电镜还将用于材料行为和表征的本科教育和培训。 直观的、基于计算机的界面允许快速培训和易用性。 凯特林大学的学生必须参加一个合作就业计划。 为学生提供操作ESEM所需的技能可能会直接使他们的合作雇主受益，可能会导致行业赞助的教师研究和设备外部用户的增加。 此外，通过网络与ESEM控制软件接口的潜力将使从教室环境远程控制显微镜成为该仪器教育优势的一个重要方面。

AbstractThe research equipment being acquired through this grant is an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) with analytical accessories and sub-stages. Modern ESEMs offer more flexibility than conventional scanning electron microscopes in obtaining qualitative and analytical results for a wider variety of applications. The system to be acquired will combine high vacuum, low vacuum and gaseous environment operation to support a wide array of research projects. The ESEM will permit examination of non-conducting, contaminated, hydrated and even living samples, which will in turn promote a greater degree of cross-disciplinary research. Standard secondary and back-scatter electron detection can be used in high vacuum mode for conventional operation or low vacuum mode for low overview magnifications. These detectors are also compatible with gaseous environments allowing for examination of hydrated or solvent-based samples. They are also tolerant of elevated temperatures making examination of samples at temperatures up to 1000 C possible. The microscope's capability can be further improved by adding a x-ray detector for energy dispersive spectroscopy. The overall system will be integrated with several sub-stages as well. These sub-stages allow for dynamic experiments (mechanical and thermal) under any of the environments compatible with the microscope.The microscope is to be used to support various research activities at Kettering University. While the majority of research at Kettering University has focused on more applied industrial projects, an ESEM permits more fundamental research of material characterization and behavior. The research conducted using the ESEM will include in-situ characterization of the mechanical behavior of metallic samples, phase transformations in polymeric systems, biomedical research in musculoskeletal pain and bone/implant interfaces and anti-oxidative mechanisms in cancer resistant cells, to name a few. The ESEM will also be used for undergraduate education and training in materials behavior and characterization. The intuitive, computer-based interface permits rapid training and ease of use. Students at Kettering University are required to participate in a co-operative employment program. Giving students the skills needed to operate an ESEM could have direct benefit to their co-op employers, possibly resulting in industry-sponsored research for faculty and an increase in external users of the equipment. Further, the potential to interface with the ESEM control software over the network will make remote control of the microscope from a classroom environment an important aspect of the educational benefits of the instrument.