MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope for Imaging and Elemental Analysis in Research at Duquesne University

该奖项来自主要研究仪器（MRI）项目，迪肯大学化学和生物化学系将获得一台配备能谱（EDS）的扫描电子显微镜（SEM），以支持成像、元素分析和元素制图。这种仪器将使材料科学、纳米技术、生物学、能源和环境方面的项目取得重大进展。项目示例包括：i.)在纳米尺度上研究无机半导体的元素组成和组成梯度。这将与详细的体相分析数据相结合，以了解半导体的最终物理特性及其微调；二)。将研究合金氧化物表面的分析，其中通过EDS获得的氧化物表面元素图将与原子力显微镜成像信息相结合，以了解有机部分的反应性随表面含量变化的原因或时间；iii)。纳米元素分析（EDS）和形貌测定（SEM）将用于优化碳修饰(CM)-n-TiO2薄膜在可见光下将水分解为氢的光电化学效率。扫描电子显微镜是一种广泛使用的技术，用于提供样品表面的图像。图像是用电子束扫描表面得到的。能量色散光谱与扫描电镜相结合，提供元素分析，即样品的化学表征。此次收购的SEM/EDS将完全整合到研究生和本科生的研究项目中，以及化学、生物学和法医学三门定期开设的课程，为学生提供尖端的显微镜体验。杜肯大学的许多暑期研究学生将通过nsf赞助的REU项目获得仪器，高中生也将通过storox高中的外展项目获得仪器。来自印第安纳大学、滑石大学和圣文森特学院的教师也将使用该仪器。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Duquesne University will acquire a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to support imaging, elemental analysis and elemental mapping. This instrumentation will enable significant advances in projects focused on materials science, nanotechnology, biology, energy and the environment. Examples of projects include: i.) The elemental composition and composition gradients in inorganic semiconductors at the nanoscale will be studied. This will be combined with data detailing bulk phase analysis to understand the resulting physical properties of the semiconductor and the fine-tuning thereof; ii.) The analysis of alloy oxide surfaces will be studied where elemental maps of the oxide surface via EDS will be combined with atomic force microscopy imaging information to understand why or when the reactivity of an organic moiety varies with surface content; iii.) Nanoscale elemental analysis (EDS) and morphology determination (SEM) will be used to optimize the efficiency of carbon-modified(CM)-n-TiO2 thin films for photoelectrochemical splitting of water to hydrogen by visible light. Scanning electron microscopy is a widely used technique for providing an image of a sample surface. The image is obtained from scanning the surface with a beam of electrons. Energy dispersive spectroscopy is combined with a SEM to provide elemental analysis i.e. chemical characterization of the sample. The SEM/EDS acquisition will be fully integrated into graduate and undergraduate research projects, as well as three regularly offered courses in chemistry, biology and forensic science, providing students with cutting-edge microscopy experience. Many of Duquesne's summer research students will have access to the instrumentation via a NSF-sponsored REU program, as will high school students through an outreach project to Sto-Rox High School. Faculty from Indiana University of PA, Slippery Rock University and St. Vincent College will also use the instrument.