Acquisition of a Nanomechanical Testing Platform to Establish a User Center for Nanomecanical Characterization Materials

纳米机械测试平台致力于从根本上理解材料在纳米尺度上的性能。该系统包括Hysitron TriboIndenter，作为一种独立的纳米机械测试仪器，它利用完全集成的压头和原子力显微镜(AFM)组合。与Triboindenter集成在一起的其他配件可以支持各种不同的纳米机械表征技术，包括：NanDMA和模数映射模块，用于使用动态测试技术研究材料的随时间变化的性能；TriboAE模块，用于监测纳米接触下发生的断裂、分层和相变；反馈控制模块，用于在蠕变或应力松弛期间进行闭环加载或位移控制；热控制模块，用于在蠕变或应力松弛期间进行测试；热控加热/冷却阶段和真空夹头。纳米力学测试与纳米尺度表面成像相结合，是以非常高的分辨率分析极小体积的材料或表面的有效方法。密苏里大学哥伦比亚分校已将纳米科学和纳米设备确定为主要的研究重点领域。智能优势：有了这些仪器，研究人员将能够进行准静态测试，在纳米尺度上研究硬材料和非常软材料在压痕过程中的弹性、塑性和断裂响应。他们将能够成像并定量研究表面现象，如通过摩擦和划痕造成的表面磨损。此外，研究人员还可以研究材料在一定温度范围内的随时间变化的特性。预计该仪器将用于当前和未来广泛的研究领域，如焊接和连接材料中复合材料界面和界面的性能梯度，MEMS器件的表面形貌，微米级电子器件的粘合和摩擦特性，生物传感器的表面表征，层状合成和生物材料的界面特性，陶瓷-聚合物复合材料相内和相间的力学性能变化，以及自组装纳米结构材料的机械性能研究。更广泛的影响：相当数量的研究生和本科生将通过课堂教学和研究接触到最先进的仪器的使用和应用。这一经历应该会加深他们对材料行为的理解。这一工具将促进跨学科研究。所有拟议的仪器将组成拟议的纳米机械表征用户中心。需要强调的是，用户设施将向MU校园内所有高校和医学院的师生开放。密歇根州立大学校园大力招收地区性大学项目的学生，包括那些主要招收黑人和西班牙裔学生的学生。我们团队与林肯大学(HBCU)建立了合作项目。MU还致力于招收和留住理工科少数族裔和女性学生。

The Nanomechanical Testing Platform addresses the fundamental understanding of the properties of materials at the nanometer length scale. The system includes the Hysitron TriboIndenter as a stand-alone, nanomechanical test instrument that utilizes a fully integrated indenter head and atomic force microscope (AFM) combination. Other accessories integrated with the Triboindenter to support many different nanomechanical characterization techniques for a variety of applications include nanoDMA and modulus mapping module for investigating time dependent properties of materials using a dynamic testing technique; TriboAE module to monitor fracture, delamination and phase transformations that occur under nanoscale contacts using the acoustic waves emitted during the phenomena; Feedback Control Module will allow to operate in closed loop load or displacement control for testing during creep or stress relaxation; Thermal Control Heating/Cooling Stage and a Vacuum Chuck. Nano-mechanical testing in conjunction with nano-scale surface imaging is a powerful way to analyze extremely small volumes of materials or surfaces with a very high resolution. The University of Missouri Columbia has identified Nano-science and Nano-devices as a major research thrust area. Intellectual merit: With these instruments researchers will be able to perform quasi-static testing to study elastic, plastic, and fracture response of both hard and very soft materials during indentation at the nanometer length scale. They will be able to image and quantitatively study surface phenomena such as surface wear by rubbing and scratching. In addition researchers can study time dependent properties of materials over a range of temperatures. It is envisaged that the instrumentation will be used for a wide range of current and future research in areas such as property gradients across composite material interphases and interfaces in welded and joined materials, surface topography in MEMS devices, adhesion and frictional characteristics of electronic devices of micrometer length scale, surface characterization of biological sensors, interfacial properties across layered synthetic and biological materials, mechanical property variations within and across phases in ceramic-polymer composites and investigation of mechanical properties of self-assembled nanostructured materials. Broader Impact: A significant number of graduate and undergraduate students will be exposed to the usage and application of state-of-the-art instrumentation through classroom instruction and research. This experience should sharpen their understanding of materials behavior. This instrumentation will foster interdisciplinary research. The whole range of proposed instruments will form the proposed Nanomechanical Characterization User Center. It should be emphasized that the user facility will be open to faculty and students of all colleges and the medical school on MU campus. The MU campus has made vigorous efforts to recruit students from regional college programs, including those with predominantly Black and Hispanic enrollment. Our group has established collaborative program with Lincoln University (HBCU). The MU is also committed to the recruitment and retention of minority and female students in Science and Engineering.