MRI: Acquisition of a High-Temperature X-ray Diffraction System - Transforming Materials Science and Culture in West Texas

这项重大研究仪器（MRI）奖支持西德克萨斯州农工大学（WTAMU）收购高温X射线衍射系统（XRD），用于纳米技术和弹性建筑材料的潜在变革性基础研究。& XRD使研究人员能够在受控的温度和压力条件下研究材料特性，使其成为开发新材料、延长材料寿命和改进生产工艺的关键工具。该研究团队包括来自机械工程，材料科学和土木工程的女性和非洲裔美国教师和研究人员。该仪器还提供了广泛的教育机会，为区域，新兴的西班牙裔服务机构（HSI），使超过1500 K-12和高等教育的学生有一个研究或实验室的经验与XRD的XRD具有独特的能力，将使基础研究纳米铝，纳米金刚石，和弹性材料和基础设施。 研究人员将测量纳米级的应力状态，以确定操纵如何影响粒子反应性。 这些知识可能会导致纳米铝储能能力的进步。XRD将用于原位研究纳米金刚石的高键能及其作为金属混合物添加剂时的高功能表面效应。这些合金可能使航空航天应用的进步，其中重量和耐温性是至关重要的，并可能为假肢和植入技术带来希望。 XRD探测原子距离并提供有关微观尺度材料性质的信息.通过分析受损前后不同材料的结构，可以估计它们可以承受的风荷载、地面加速度和爆炸强度。这些知识使结构材料的开发能够优化，用于自然或人为灾害可能性高的地区。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a High-Temperature X-Ray Diffraction System (XRD) at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) for potentially transformative fundamental research on nanotechnology and resilient building materials. The XRD allows researchers to investigate material properties under controlled temperature and pressure conditions, making it a critical tool for developing new materials, increasing the lifespan of materials, and improving production processes. The research team includes female and African American faculty and researchers from mechanical engineering, materials science and civil engineering. The instrumentation also provides broad educational opportunities for a regional, emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), enabling over 1500 K-12 and higher education students to have a research or laboratory experience with the XRD.The XRD has unique capabilities that will enable fundamental research on nanoaluminum, nanodiamonds, and resilient materials and infrastructure. Researchers will measure stress states at the nanoscale to determine how manipulation affects particle reactivity. This knowledge may lead to advances in nano aluminum energy storage capabilities. The XRD will be used in-situ to study the high bond energy of the nano-sized diamond and the effect of its highly functional surface when used as an additive in metallic mixtures. These alloys may enable advances in aerospace applications, where weight and temperature resistance are vital, and may hold promise for prosthetics and implant technology. The XRD probes atomic distances and provides information aabout material properties at the microscale. By analyzing structures with different materials both before and after damage, it is possible to estimate wind loads, ground accelerations and blast intensities that they can withstand. This knowledge enables the development of structural materials optimized for use in areas with a high probability of natural or man-made hazards.