MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Undergraduate Research and Education in Nanoscale Surface Science

建议书编号CTS-0421052首席研究员：T.Huang，拉斐特学院这笔赠款将帮助购买仪器，以加强本科生的研究项目，并扩大拉斐特学院在纳米尺度表面科学领域的教学能力。将获得多模扫描探针显微镜(SPM)和轮廓分析张力计。这两种仪器的结合将使研究气-液、液-液、液-固和气-固界面上的各种界面现象成为可能。该张力仪将用于检测空气-液体和液体-液体界面的超薄膜(包括改性和未改性的)的微流变学和动力学。SPM具有原子力、扫描隧道和电化学能力，将用于研究液-固和气-固界面的生物和化学修饰表面。作为研究工具，新仪器将促进工程学科和化学科学之间的跨学科合作，并使化学和化学工程系的教职员工能够进一步开展研究，并为本科生提供更多的研究机会。作为教学工具，这些仪器将被用于课堂实验室环境中，作为讨论界面科学和纳米技术的当前趋势和主题的平台，并为学生提供实践经验和使用最先进的仪器进行培训。为了更好地教育和培训学生，并为他们未来在科学和技术领域的职业生涯做好准备，老佛爷正在探索在工程和物理科学系辅修纳米技术的可能性。由于纳米技术是一个涵盖几乎所有科学领域的广泛研究领域，拉斐特学院将利用目前教员在表面科学和生物修饰表面方面的专业知识，专注于成为纳米尺度表面科学本科生研究的领先者。

Proposal No. CTS-0421052Principal Investigator: T. Huang, Lafayette CollegeThis grant will facilitate the purchase of instruments to enhance undergraduate research projects and expand the pedagogical capabilities in the area of nano-scale surface science at Lafayette College. A multi-mode scanning probe microscope (SPM) and a profile analysis tensiometer will be acquired. The combination of these two instruments will allow investigation of a variety of interfacial phenomena at the air-liquid, liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and air-solid interfaces. The tensiometer will be used to examine the micro-rheology and dynamics of ultrathin films (both modified and unmodified) at the air-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces. The SPM has atomic force, scanning tunneling, and electrochemical capabilities and will be used to study biologically- and chemically-modified surfaces at the liquid-solid and air-solid interfaces. As research tools, the new instruments will foster interdisciplinary collaborations between the engineering disciplines and chemical sciences, and enable faculty members in the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering departments to further their research and to provide additional research opportunities for undergraduate students. As pedagogical tools, the instruments will be used in classroom laboratory settings as a platform to discuss current trends and topics in interface science and nanotechnology and to offer students hands-on experience and training with state-of-the-art instrumentation. In an effort to better educate and train students and prepare them for future careers in the scientific and technology sector, Lafayette is exploring the possibility of offering a Nanotechnology Minor within the engineering and physical science departments. Because nanotechnology is a broad area of research that encompasses almost all the scientific fields, Lafayette College will utilize current faculty expertise in surface science and biologically- modified surfaces and concentrate on becoming a leader in undergraduate research in nanoscale surface science.