Acquisition of a Nanoindentation System for Multi-disciplinary Research and Education in Nano and Bio-Mechanics of Materials

将获得最先进的纳米压痕系统，这是支持布朗大学目前在材料纳米和生物力学领域的研究和教学活动所急需的。这些设备将用于使用纳米压痕仪进行的高影响力的多学科研究活动。拟议的活动涵盖工程、地质科学、物理、生物和医学三个领域的广泛计划。这些计划包括高影响领域，如碳纳米管的力学和机电耦合、定向纳米管的纳米复合材料、生物摩擦表面的力学、表面塑性力学、纳米摩擦学、人体关节疾病的力学方面、具有复杂微结构的材料和纳米晶材料。使用主力纳米压头探索如此广泛的应用将提高所有参与研究人员的研究生产率。共享和协调使用拟议的多功能工具将扩大所有参与者的研究范围。更重要的是，共享这一工具将促进更多的合作解决新的科学问题，从而促进协同研究活动和新的方向。拟议的纳米压痕中心的更广泛影响在于利用它为研究生、本科生，特别是女性和少数群体提供研究培训和教育机会，并激励来自代表性不足群体的本科生从事科学和技术职业。在布朗目前成功的外展计划的基础上，来自历史悠久的黑人学院和大学的本科生将在拟议的设施中获得暑期研究项目。此外，布朗大学的本科生将获得有关纳米压痕的研究机会。这些职位的目标不是让他们担任技术人员，而是让他们参与创造性思维和发展进程。实验力学课程中将增加纳米压痕的教学内容。拟议中的纳米压痕设施将向另一项推广计划--教师研究经验开放，通过该计划，当地中小学教师将接触到纳米压痕研究，以便这些教师在布朗工作期间获得的知识也将传播到他们工作的学校，最大限度地发挥该仪器的更广泛影响。

AbstractA state-of-the-art nanoindentation system, which is critically needed to support current research and teaching activities at Brown University in the areas of nano and biomechanics of materials, will be acquired. The equipment will be used for high-impact multi-disciplinary research activities to be conducted using the nanoindenter. The proposed activities cover a wide spectrum of programs in three areas of Engineering, Geological Sciences, Physics and Biology and Medicine. The programs include high impact areas such as the mechanics and the electromechanical coupling in carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites with aligned nanotubes, mechanics of biological friction surfaces, mechanics of surface plasticity, nanotribology, mechanical aspects of human joint disease, materials with complex microstructures and nanocrystalline materials. Exploring such a broad range of applications using a workhorse nanoindenter will enhance the research productivity of all participating investigators. The shared and coordinated use of the proposed multi-functional instrument will broaden the scope of research for all participants. More importantly, the shared access to this instrument will facilitate more collaborations addressing new scientific questions, and thus fostering synergistic research activities and fresh directions.The broader impact of the proposed nanoindenter lies in using it to provide research training and education opportunities to graduate students, undergraduate students, especially women and minorities, and in inspiring undergraduate students from under-represented groups to pursue careers in science and technology. Building on Brown's successful current outreach programs, undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities will be offered summer research projects in the proposed facility. In addition, Brown undergraduate students will be given research opportunities involving nanoindentation. The objective of these positions will not be to use them as technicians; it will be to involve them in creative thinking and development process. Nanoindentation will be added to the teaching curriculum in the course on experimental mechanics. The proposed nanoindentation facility will be open to another outreach program, Research Experience for Teachers, by which the local primary/secondary school teachers will be exposed to nanoindentation research, so that the knowledge gained by these teachers while working at Brown will also spread to the schools in which they work, maximizing the instrument's broader impact.