MRI: Acquisition of an Analytical Scanning Electron Microscope for Engineering and Natural Sciences Research

这笔主要研究仪器(MRI)赠款为西肯塔基大学提供资金，用于本科生和研究生水平的教学和研究。该仪器将支持跨越自然科学和工程多个学科的广泛尖端和创新研究项目。此外，该工具将允许将实践培训和研究部分整合到各种本科课程的课程中。新仪器将允许学生、研究人员和教育工作者获得各种样品的高分辨率图像，从电子和航空航天材料的复杂微特征到有机纳米颗粒和生物物种。新仪器还将影响加顿数学和科学学院高中生以及阿巴拉契亚地区少数民族和弱势群体的中学生的研究经验和教育。扫描电子显微镜具有扩展的功能，包括二次和反向散射成像、高真空和低真空控制以及能量色散X射线能谱仪分析仪，将影响来自先进制造、机械工程、地质、化学和生物等多个学科的一些研究项目。重点研究和教育领域包括：(I)分析使用先进制造工艺加工的微和纳米特征的尺寸精度、表面光洁度和凹坑尺寸；(Ii)纳米结构及其薄膜的表面形态表征；(Iii)抗菌应用的抗生素包覆金纳米颗粒的表征；(Iv)能源相关应用的先进纳米碳基材料的结构和物理性质的表征；(V)石蝇(昆虫纲、长翅目)的形态特征；以及(Vi)来自油气藏的岩石和矿物的化学、矿物学(成岩作用)和形态分析。扫描电子显微镜的高真空模式将使金属和电子材料的微纳尺度特征能够成像和分析。低真空模式将不仅用于表征无机和有机纳米颗粒，而且还将用于表征各种环境中的生物系统，如潮湿、干燥、油性、多孔、放气、水合或污染。此外，该仪器还将支持电子显微镜、材料特性、材料的机械性能、地质学和地球科学等课程。总体而言，新仪器将影响核心研究人员团队的研究生产率，以继续在材料科学和先进制造领域建立一个多学科的综合计划。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant provides funding to the Western Kentucky University to acquire a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for education and research at undergraduate and graduate levels. The instrument will support a broad range of cutting-edge and innovative research projects spanning multiple disciplines of natural sciences and engineering. Additionally, the instrument will allow the integration of a hands-on training and research component into the curriculum for various undergraduate courses. The new instrument will allow students, researchers and educators to obtain high-resolution images of a wide variety of samples ranging from complex micro-features in electronic and aerospace materials to organic nano-particles and biological species. The new instrument will also impact the research experience and education of Gatton Academy Math and Science high school students, as well as secondary and middle school students from minority and underrepresented groups in Appalachian counties.The scanning electron microscope with extended capabilities including secondary and backscatter imaging, high and low vacuum control, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analyzer will impact a number of research projects from multiple disciplines including advanced manufacturing, mechanical engineering, geology, chemistry, and biology. The focused research and education areas include: (i) analyzing dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and crater sizes of micro and nano features machined using advanced manufacturing processes, (ii) surface morphology characterizations of nanostructures and their thin films, (iii) characterization of antibiotic coated gold nanoparticles for antimicrobial applications, (iv) characterization of structural and physical properties of advanced nanocarbon-based materials for energy-related applications, (v) morphological characteristics of stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera), and (vi) chemical, mineralogical (diagenetic) and morphological analysis of rocks and minerals from oil and gas reservoir. The high vacuum mode of the scanning electron microscope will enable imaging and analysis of micro and nano scale features in metallic and electronic materials. Low vacuum mode will be used for characterizing not only inorganic and organic nanoparticles, but also biological systems in various environments such as wet, dry, oily, porous, out-gassing, hydrated, or contaminated. In addition, the instrument will support a number of courses on electron microscopy; materials characterization; mechanical properties of materials; geology; and earth sciences. Overall, the new instrument will impact the research productivity of a core group of researchers to continue building a multidisciplinary, comprehensive program in materials science and advanced manufacturing.