MRI Consortium: Acquisition of a Small Angle X-ray Scattering System for Materials Characterization

小角和广角X射线散射（SAXS/WAXS）对于硬材料和软材料的定量表征至关重要。然而，在休斯敦大都市地区没有SAXS用户设施，因此目前的研究计划需要在休斯敦以外的合作和/或在国家实验室获得光源。 该提案的目的是获得双SAXS/WAXS系统，为休斯顿的材料研究社区提供直接访问散装样品，薄膜和解决方案的X射线表征。该系统非常适合多种应用，各种样品类型，以及透射和反射散射模式。 独特的功能包括一个掠入射阶段，以表征纳米结构薄膜，高温样品阶段，和一个液体细胞毛细管保持器。这些能力将加强在纳米材料，设备物理学和生物物理学，包括活性聚合物纳米复合材料，无机纳米复合材料，用于催化和能源应用的无机纳米材料，纳米磁性设备和存储，药物和造影剂输送载体，以及先进的生物膜广泛的联邦资助计划的变革性研究。该系统将安装在休斯敦大学的纳米材料表征设施中，并将提供给学术界和工业界的当地材料研究社区。 收购SAXS/WAXS系统将填补休斯顿地区最先进的材料表征设施的重要空白，并将使材料，纳米材料和生物物理科学与工程领域的研究和教育的多样化群体继续增长。 Layman总结：理解和定制材料的结构对于材料，纳米材料和生物物理科学与工程中的各种高技术应用至关重要。 X射线散射是一种定量工具，用于快速表征液体溶液，薄膜或散装材料，所获得的信息提供了对天然和合成纳米材料的更深入了解。 休斯顿大都市区拥有众多研究密集型大学和活跃的工业研究，但目前没有X射线用户设施来支持多样化的研究社区。这项多机构提案的目标是获得一个小角度和广角X射线散射仪器系统，为休斯顿地区的材料研究界提供直接访问X射线表征的广泛样品类型。拟议的系统将安装在休斯敦大学的纳米材料表征设施中，并将提供给广泛的学术和工业用户群，填补了休斯顿地区最先进的材料表征设施的重要空白，并使材料，纳米材料和生物物理科学与工程的多样化学生群体的研究和教育能够持续增长。

Technical Summary: Small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) are crucial for quantitative characterization of hard and soft materials. However, there are no SAXS user facilities in the Houston metropolitan area, so current research programs require collaborations outside Houston and/or access to light sources at national laboratories. The objective of this proposal is to acquire a dual SAXS/WAXS system to provide the materials research community in Houston with direct access to x-ray characterization for bulk samples, thin films, and solutions. The proposed system is ideally suited for multiple applications, a variety of sample types, and both transmission and reflection scattering modes. Unique features include a grazing-incidence stage to characterize nanostructured thin films, a high-temperature sample stage, and a liquid-cell capillary holder. These capabilities will enhance transformative research across a wide range of federally-funded programs in nanomaterials, device physics, and biophysics that include active polymer nanocomposites, inorganic nanocomposites, inorganic nanomaterials for catalysis and energy applications, nanomagnetic devices and storage, drug and contrast agent delivery vehicles, and advanced biomembranes. The system will be installed in the Nanomaterials Characterization Facility at the University of Houston and will be available to the local materials research community in academia and industry. Acquisition of the SAXS/WAXS system will fill an important gap in the state-of-the-art materials characterization facilities in the Houston area, and will enable continued growth of research and education of a diverse group of students in materials, nanomaterials, and biophysical sciences and engineering. Layman Summary: Understanding and tailoring the structure of materials is crucial for a diverse range of high-technology applications in materials, nanomaterials, and biophysical sciences and engineering. X-ray scattering is a quantitative tool for rapid characterization of liquid solutions, thin films, or bulk materials, and the information acquired provides a deeper understanding of natural and synthetic nanoscale materials. The Houston metropolitan area is home to numerous research-intensive universities and active industrial research, but currently there are no x-ray user facilities to support the diverse research community. The objective of this multi-institution proposal, with senior participants from the University of Houston, Texas Southern University and Rice University, is to acquire a small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering instrument system to provide the materials research community in the Houston area with direct access to x-ray characterization for a broad range of sample types. The proposed system will be installed in the Nanomaterials Characterization Facility at the University of Houston and will be available to the broad academic and industrial user base, filling an important gap in the state-of-the-art materials characterization facilities in the Houston area and enabling continued growth of research and education of a diverse group of students in materials, nanomaterials, and biophysical sciences and engineering.