Research and Education - Increasing Student Participation in Research at Internationally Recognized User Facilities

非技术描述：该研究计划的目标是增加美国学生在国际公认的用户设施进行的研究的参与。 2004年1月，美国国家科学委员会发布了一份报告，指出如果不进行干预，本土出生的科学和工程毕业生进入劳动力市场的数量可能会下降。 路易斯安那理工大学（LTU）和格兰布林州立大学（GSU），这两个领导机构对这一建议，计划增加学生参与国际公认的用户设施，J.班尼特约翰斯顿中心先进微结构和器件（CAMD），位于巴吞鲁日，洛杉矶。 涉及储氢材料和逐层纳米组装膜的工业相关技术项目将用于学生研究。 该研究计划的基础是在CAMD使用X射线吸收精细结构（XAFS）研究储氢材料和逐层纳米膜。 XAFS技术提供了关于原子周围的局部成键环境的信息，即使是那些在固体中存在少量的原子。 储氢材料（和氢经济）是国家能源问题的前沿。 在原子尺度上解析储氢材料的结构将有助于理解和控制从这些固体中释放氢气的化学反应。 拟议的工作将扩大本科生和研究生的经验进行研究，以地区高中生，从而建立9-12年级的学生和教育工作者（位于北方路易斯安那州）和国家的最先进的用户设施CAMD（位于路易斯安那州南部）之间的联系。从事该项目的本科生研究人员将花费50-75%的时间准备演讲，旨在将他们的研究经验转化为高中生。 工作坊的内容将旨在向高中生介绍使用纳米尺度测量作为模型研究问题的研究职业。 此外，我们将讨论国家实验室的专业研究人员的参与。技术规格：本研究的技术目标是使用X射线吸收精细结构（XAFS）来理解和设计掺杂剂原子与宿主晶格之间的相互作用，以定制氢解吸行为。 这项工作将扩大过渡金属在改变氢解吸动力学中的作用的基础知识。 这些信息是氢存储研究社区非常需要的。 待研究的材料体系是过渡金属（即Ti 2+、Ti 3+、Ti 4+、Zr 4+、V 2+、V 3+、V 4+、Nb 4+）掺杂的NaAlH 4。 掺杂盐将通过两种方法引入NaAlH 4中：（1）机械研磨和（2）在表面上分层。 将使用小角X射线散射（SAXS）监测颗粒形态。 对于后一种方法，透射电子显微镜（TEM）将被用来检查氢吸收/解吸循环后NaAlH 4和掺杂剂盐之间的界面处的结构变化。 本科生和研究生将在位于国际公认的用户设施-先进微结构和器件中心（CAMD）和阿贡国家实验室的先进光子源的最先进的同步加速器X射线设备中接受培训。 学生将接受该技术的先驱出版商之一Yuri Lvov博士的逐层纳米组装培训。 该项目由EPSCoR和材料研究部的两个项目联合支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The objective of this research program is to increase the participation of American students in research performed at internationally recognized user facilities. In January 2004, the National Science Board issued a report stating that the number of native-born science and engineering graduates entering the workforce is likely to decline without intervention. Louisiana Tech University (LTU) and Grambling State University (GSU), the two lead institutions on this proposal, plan to increase student participation at the internationally recognized user facility, J. Bennett Johnston Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD), located in Baton Rouge, LA. Industrially-relevant technical projects involving hydrogen storage materials and layer-by-layer nanoassembly films will be used for student research. The basis of the research program is to study hydrogen storage materials and layer-by-layer nanofilms using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) at CAMD. The XAFS technique provides information concerning the local bonding environment around atoms-even those atoms present in small quantities within the solid. Hydrogen storage materials (and the hydrogen economy) and are at the forefront of the nation's energy concerns. Resolving the structure of hydrogen storage materials at the atomic scale will aid in understanding-and controlling- the chemical reactions which release hydrogen gas from these solids. The proposed work will extend the experiences of undergraduate and graduate students performing research to area high school students-thus establishing a link between 9-12 grade students and educators (located in northern Louisiana) and the state-of-the-art user facility CAMD (located in southern Louisiana). Undergraduate student researchers working on the project will spend 50-75% of their time preparing presentations designed to translate their research experiences to high school students. The workshop contents will be aimed at introducing high school students to research careers using nanoscale measurements as model research problems. Additionally, we will discuss the participation of professional researchers at National Laboratories. TECHNICAL DETAILS: The technical objective of this research is to understand and engineer interactions between dopant atoms and the host lattice using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) in order to tailor hydrogen desorption behavior. This work will expand the fundamental knowledge on the role that transition metals play in altering hydrogen desorption kinetics. This information is much needed by the hydrogen storage research community. Material systems to be studied are transition metal (i.e. Ti2+, Ti3+, Ti4+ Zr4+, V2+, V3+, V4+, Nb4+) doped NaAlH4. Dopant salts will be introduced to NaAlH4 by two methods: (1) mechanical milling and (2) layering onto the surface. Particle morphology will be monitored using small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). For the latter approach, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) will be used to examine structural changes at the interface between NaAlH4 and dopant salts after hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles. Undergraduate and graduate students will be trained at state-of-the-art synchrotron x-ray facilities located at internationally recognized user facilities-the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD) and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Students will be trained in the layer-by-layer nanoassembly by one of the pioneering publishers of that technique, Dr. Yuri Lvov. This project is jointed supported by EPSCoR and two programs within the Division of Materials Research.