MRI: Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art X-ray Diffractometer for Research, Education, and Training

该项目将资助购买配备成像的X射线衍射仪，以加强路易斯安那理工大学(LaTech)、格拉姆林州立大学(GSU)(历史上的一所黑人大学)、路易斯安那大学门罗分校(ULM)以及周围地区的其他大学的研究和培训基础设施。来自这三个机构的15名教职员工作为PI、共同PI或其他调查员参与了该项目。该项目将支持目前资助的NSF在药物输送和释放、导电聚合物光刻和储氢材料等主题方面的项目。此外，目前由DARPA和路易斯安那州董事会支持的研究项目也将利用这一仪器的收购。该仪器将用于常规的物相鉴定和显微衍射，并将配备一个加热台，用于进行原位相变研究。衍射信号可从10m至100m的空间区域采集，在空气和可控气氛中加热级温度可达900oC。在路易斯安那理工大学微型制造研究所(IFM)的早期，该仪器将用于土木工程、机械工程、应用物理(GSU研究人员)、电气工程、制药(ULM研究人员)和化学的几个项目。该仪器的计划用途包括：(1)评估涂覆在微悬臂传感器阵列上的官能团或纳米材料的一致性，以确定选择性和灵敏度；(2)表征用于药物输送和释放的埃洛石粘土薄膜；(3)了解TiCl3掺杂的NaAlH4储氢系统中的相分布；(4)表征用于防篡改MEMS传感器的溶胶-凝胶合成的锆钛酸铅(PZT)；(5)评估在缓释药物输送系统的粉末加工过程中存在的非晶相的数量；(6)了解磁存储介质应用的FePT纳米颗粒在热处理过程中的相变化；(7)了解使用模板润湿技术制备的各种纳米线和纳米管的结晶度；以及(8)利用电动渗透来表征用纳米颗粒增强的混凝土中的相分布。该仪器的收购将对LaTech、GSU、ULM和邻近机构继续扩大以微和纳米技术为导向的研究和教育工作产生重大影响。非技术性摘要这个项目将资助购买一台研究固相材料中原子到原子距离的仪器。这一最先进的仪器将配备显微成像，以阐明采集测量数据的样品区域。虽然这台仪器提供的显微成像不允许直接显示原子及其排列，但该仪器配备了一种称为衍射的操作模式，允许观察单个原子的排列。总体而言，收购该仪器将加强路易斯安那理工大学(LaTech)、格拉姆林州立大学(GSU)(历史上是一所黑人大学)和路易斯安那大学门罗分校(ULM)以及周围地区大学的研究和培训基础设施。来自这三个机构的15名教职员工作为PI、共同PI或其他调查员参与了该项目。研究人员将能够使用X射线衍射仪进行常规材料鉴定，在某些情况下，还可以使用显微成像选项来指定从中获取原子排列信息的“感兴趣区域”(ROI)。由于该仪器将配备加热阶段，因此可以实时观察在高温下发生的原子重排。在路易斯安那理工大学微型制造研究所(IFM)的早期，该仪器将用于土木工程、机械工程、应用物理(GSU研究人员)、电气工程、制药(ULM研究人员)和化学的几个项目。该仪器的计划包括其用途：(1)提高传感器的选择性和灵敏度；(2)用于药物输送和受控药物释放研究；(3)了解氢存储系统，以支持“清洁”能源替代品；(6)用于磁存储介质应用；(7)研究通过在混凝土的孔洞和裂缝中插入非常细的颗粒来增强混凝土(在其首次使用和磨损后)的过程。这一仪器的获得将对拉技、格拉斯哥州立大学、ULM和邻近机构继续扩大研究和教育工作产生重大影响。

Technical AbstractThis project would fund the acquisition of an X-ray diffractometer equipped with imaging to enhance research and training infrastructure at Louisiana Tech University (LaTech), Grambling State University (GSU) (a historically Black university) and the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) as well as other universities in the surrounding area. Fifteen faculty members from the three institutions are involved in the project as either PI, Co-PI or Other Investigator. The project will support currently funded NSF projects in the topics of drug delivery and release, lithography of conducting polymers, and hydrogen storage materials. Also, research projects currently supported by DARPA and the Louisiana State Board of Regents will also take advantage of the acquisition of this instrument. The instrument will be used for routine phase identification, microdiffraction and will be equipped with a heating stage for carrying out in-situ phase transformation studies. Diffraction signals may be collected from spatial regions of 10 m up to 100 m. The heating stage reaches to temperatures of 900oC in air and in controlled atmosphere. In its early arrival to the Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM) at Louisiana Tech University, the instrument will be used for several projects in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics (GSU researchers), Electrical Engineering, Pharmacy (ULM researchers), and Chemistry. Planned use for the instrument includes: (1) to assess the uniformity of functional groups or nanomaterials coated onto microcantilever sensor arrays for defining selectivity and sensitivity; (2) to characterize halloysite clay films used for drug delivery and release; (3) to understand phase distributions in TiCl3-doped NaAlH4 hydrogen storage systems; (4) to characterize sol-gel synthesized lead zirconate titanate (PZT) for tamper resistant MEMS sensors; (5) to assess amounts of amorphous phase present during the powder processing of chronorelevant drug delivery systems; (6) to understand phase changes during the anneal of FePt nanoparticles for magnetic storage media applications; (7) to understand the crystallinity of various nanowires and nanotubes prepared using the template wetting technique; and (8) to characterize phase distribution in concrete which has been strengthened with nanoparticles using electrokinetic osmosis. Acquisition of this instrument will have a strong impact on the continuing expansion of micro and nanotechnology oriented research and educational efforts at LaTech, GSU, ULM, and neighboring institutions. Non-technical AbstractThis project would fund the acquisition of an instrument for studying atom-to-atom distances in solid phase materials. This state-of-the-art instrument will be equipped with microscopic imaging to elucidate the region of sample from which the measurement is to be collected. Although the microscopic imaging supplied with this instrument does not permit the direct visualization of atoms and their arrangement, the instrument is equipped with an operating mode, called diffraction, which permits observation of individual atomic arrangements. Overall, the acquisition of this instrument will enhance the research and training infrastructure at Louisiana Tech University (LaTech), Grambling State University (GSU) (a historically Black university) and the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) as well as universities in the surrounding area. Fifteen faculty members from the three institutions are involved in the project as either PI, Co-PI or Other Investigator. Researchers will be able to use the X-ray diffractometer for routine materials identification and, in some cases, may use the microscopic imaging option for specifying a 'region-of-interest' (ROI) from which to acquire the atomic arrangement information. Since the instrument will be equipped with a heating stage, atomic rearrangements occurring at elevated temperatures can be observed in real time. In its early arrival to the Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM) at Louisiana Tech University, the instrument will be used for several projects in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics (GSU researchers), Electrical Engineering, Pharmacy (ULM researchers), and Chemistry. Plans for the instrument includes its use: (1) for improving selectivity and sensitivity of sensors; (2) for drug delivery and controlled drug release research; (3) to understand hydrogen storage systems to support 'clean' energy alternatives; (6) for magnetic storage media applications; and (7) for studying a process with strengthens concrete (after its initial use and wear) by inserting very fine particles into its pores and cracks. Acquisition of this instrument will have a strong impact on the continuing expansion of research and educational efforts at LaTech, GSU, ULM, and neighboring institutions.