MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution X-Ray Microdiffractometer System for Advanced Materials Research and Education at Drexel

技术总结：PI建议获得先进的高分辨率X射线微衍射仪（XRD）系统，带有二维（2D）区域探测器，用于德雷克塞尔大学的先进材料研究和教育。目前，Drexel拥有一个充满活力的XRD社区，来自六个不同Drexel部门的25多名常规用户都在使用一台旧的西门子D-500粉末衍射仪，该设备安装于25年前，功能非常有限。目标系统是配备VANTEC-500探测器的新型布鲁克D8 Discover。许多重要的功能，如微衍射，薄膜分析，小角度X射线散射，高温原位测量，以及新开发的2D VANTEC-500探测器，使该仪器成为多学科材料研究的理想选择。将受益于拟议文书的主要研究项目包括：（1）功能性纳米杂化材料的结构、形态和性能，（2）Mn+1AXn三元碳化物和氮化物的合成、表征和建模，（3）用于太阳能电池应用的薄膜和纳米晶体半导体，（4）用于增强功能性的过氧化物中原子结构的控制，（5）独立膜和微悬臂梁传感器中的压电增强。如果获得批准，XRD系统将被安置在德雷克塞尔的中央研究设施（CRF）中，这是德雷克塞尔在纳米技术，生物医学，结构材料，软材料和能源技术方面进行高级研究的共享仪器资源。将XRD系统置于CRF的保护伞下将使一般科学界广泛使用该仪器，同时大大提高Drexel CRF的知名度、区域重要性和用户基础。拟议的仪器将由研究生、本科生和高中生操作，因此将产生很强的教育影响。Layman摘要：PI建议获得先进的高分辨率X射线微衍射仪（XRD）系统，用于德雷克塞尔大学的先进材料研究和教育。在Drexel的146个积极的NSF支持的研究和教育项目中，许多项目专注于先进材料和纳米技术研究。XRD是这些研究和教育活动中必不可少的设备。目前，Drexel拥有一个充满活力的XRD社区，来自六个不同Drexel部门的25多名常规用户都在使用一台旧的西门子D-500粉末衍射仪，该设备安装于25年前，功能非常有限。因此，德雷克塞尔大学迫切需要获得先进的XRD系统。目标系统是全新的布鲁克D8 Discover。许多重要的功能使拟议的仪器理想的材料研究。此外，该仪器对物理、化学、生物医学工程、生物学和能源等一般材料相关领域也很重要。如果获得批准，XRD系统将被安置在德雷克塞尔的中央研究设施（CRF）中，这是德雷克塞尔在纳米技术，生物医学，结构材料，软材料和能源技术方面进行高级研究的共享仪器资源。将XRD系统置于CRF的保护伞下将使一般科学界广泛使用该仪器，同时大大提高Drexel CRF的知名度、区域重要性和用户基础。研究生、本科生和高中生也将使用拟议的仪器，因此将产生强大的教育影响。

Technical Summary: The PIs propose to acquire an advanced high resolution X-ray microdiffractometer (XRD) system with a two-dimensional (2D) area detector for advanced materials research and education at Drexel University. Currently Drexel has a vibrant XRD community of more than 25 regular users from six different Drexel departments who are all working on an old Siemens D-500 Powder Diffractometer unit that was installed more than 25 years ago and has very limited capabilities. The targeted system is the NEW Bruker D8 Discover with a VANTEC-500 detector. A number of important capabilities, such as microdiffraction, thin film analysis, small angle X-ray scattering, high temperature in-situ measurement, and the newly developed 2D VANTEC-500 detector, make the proposed instrument ideal for multidisciplinary materials research. The major research projects that will benefit from the proposed instrument include: (1) Structure, Morphology and Properties of Functional Nanohybrid Materials, (2) Synthesis, Characterization, and Modeling of Mn+1AXn Ternary Carbides and Nitrides, (3) Thin Film and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors for Solar Cell Applications, (4) Control of Atomic Structure in Perovskite Oxides for Enhanced Functionality, and (5) Piezoelectric Enhancement in Freestanding Films and Microcantilever Sensors. The XRD system, if granted, will be housed in Drexel's Centralized Research Facilities (CRF), the shared instrumentation resources for advanced research in nanotechnology, biomedicine, structural materials, soft materials, and energy technologies at Drexel. Placing the XRD system under the umbrella of CRF will make the instrument widely accessible to the general scientific community while significantly enhancing the visibility, regional importance and user base of Drexel's CRF. The proposed instrument will be operated by graduate, undergraduate, and high school students, and therefore will have a strong educational impact.Layman Summary: The PIs propose to acquire an advanced high resolution X-ray microdiffractometer (XRD) system for advanced materials research and education at Drexel University. Among 146 active NSF-supported research and education projects at Drexel, many focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology research. XRD is an essential piece of equipment for these research and educational activities. Currently Drexel has a vibrant XRD community of more than 25 regular users from six different Drexel departments who are all working on an old Siemens D-500 Powder Diffractometer unit that was installed more than 25 years ago and has very limited capabilities. Therefore, there is an urgent need for acquiring an advanced XRD system at Drexel University. The targeted system is the NEW Bruker D8 Discover. A number of important capabilities make the proposed instrument ideal for materials research. In addition, the proposed instrument is also important to general materials-related fields including physics, chemistry, biomedical engineering, biology, and energy. The XRD system, if granted, will be housed in Drexel's Centralized Research Facilities (CRF), the shared instrumentation resources for advanced research in nanotechnology, biomedicine, structural materials, soft materials, and energy technologies at Drexel. Placing the XRD system under the umbrella of CRF will make the instrument widely accessible to the general scientific community while significantly enhancing the visibility, regional importance and user base of Drexel's CRF. The proposed instrument will also be used by graduate, undergraduate and high school students, and therefore will have a strong educational impact.