MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) to Enhance the Materials Science and Nanotechnology Research and Teaching at Kettering University

这项主要研究仪器（MRI）拨款将支持购置一台高分辨率透射电子显微镜（HRTEM），以加强凯特林大学在纳米技术和材料表征的跨学科本科教育和研究方面的努力。该仪器将被教师、研究生和本科生在广泛的领域使用，包括生物、化学、化学工程、电气工程、机械工程和物理，用于大量的研究项目和课堂活动。在凯特林大学校园内提供HRTEM有很多好处，包括：(1)将校园和合作教育（凯特林大学长期以来一直以其闻名）更强地整合为一个整体的教育模式；(2)加强凯特林大学作为密歇根州，特别是弗林特市经济重建的稳定合作伙伴的作用；(3)在被确定为具有广泛社会影响的国家重大挑战领域，为研究提供原创性贡献；(4)支持凯特林大学招收和留住学生的努力；(5)进一步扩大STEM学科在职教学专业人员的专业发展计划；(6)启动一项计划，在凯特林大学建立先进材料表征中心，为工业组织提供服务和培训。此外，使用这一工具所产生的工作将使一些本科生能够参加地方、区域、国家和国际会议并提出原创性研究。最重要的是，在开发新的实验室实验和教学辅助工具时，六个学术部门提供的至少15门课程将受益于该仪器的使用。HRTEM的收购将极大地有利于凯特林大学的一些正在进行的研究项目，包括研究用于超级电容器开发的还原氧化石墨烯薄膜的结构，高级固体氧化物燃料电池的新型材料的表征，钠离子电池的阴极材料以及用于许多生物医学应用的磁性纳米颗粒的表征。提议的仪器将允许高达0.1 nm的晶格分辨率和高达0.23 nm的点对点分辨率，从而为纳米材料的直接成像提供有意义的放大，用于提案中概述的应用的尺寸分布和形态确定。此外，扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）的能力与其能量色散x射线微分析系统相结合，可以在纳米尺度上进行元素测绘，从而确定尺寸，并在块状材料的晶界和其他位置进行元素测绘。将受益于该工具的重点正在进行的研究项目包括：(1)用于靶向药物递送和作为恶性肿瘤磁流体热疗治疗介质的磁性纳米颗粒的表征；(2)使用大气等离子体和表面退火制备还原氧化石墨烯薄膜的制备和表征；(3)用于生物医学应用的聚合物和复合纤维和薄膜的表征；(4)钠离子电池用Na4Mn9O18阴极和氧化铁阳极的合成和表征；(5)先进固体氧化物燃料电池材料的合成和表征；(6)热疗和微纳米机器人用趋磁细菌产生的磁小体的生长和表征；(7)配体盖层折叠纳米结构与金属离子相互作用的研究。

This Major Research Instrument (MRI) grant will support the acquisition of a High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) to enhance Kettering University's efforts in interdisciplinary undergraduate education and research in nanotechnology and materials characterization. This instrument will be used by faculty, graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of fields including biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and physics for a large number of research projects and classroom activities. The availability of a HRTEM on the campus of Kettering University has a number of benefits including: (1) A stronger integration of the on-campus and co-op-mediated education (for which Kettering University has long been known) into a holistic educational model; (2) Strengthening Kettering University's role as a steady partner in the economic redevelopment of the state of Michigan and, in particular, the city of Flint; (3) Enabling original contributions to research in areas identified as national grand challenges with broad social impact; (4) Bolstering Kettering University's efforts to recruit and retain students; (5) Further expansion of professional development programs for in-service teaching professionals in the STEM disciplines; (6) The initiation of a program to develop a center for advanced materials characterization at Kettering University to provide services and training to industrial organizations. Furthermore, work resulting from the use of this instrument will allow a number of undergraduate students to attend and present original research at local, regional, national and international meetings. Most importantly, at least 15 courses offered across six academic departments will benefit from the use of this instrument in the development of new laboratory experiments and teaching aids. The acquisition of a HRTEM will greatly benefit a number of ongoing research projects at Kettering University including investigations into the construction of reduced graphene oxide films for use in the development of a super-capacitor, characterization of novel materials for advanced solid oxide fuel cells, cathode materials for Na-ion batteries and characterization of magnetic nanoparticles for a number of biomedical applications. The proposed instrument will allow up to 0.1 nm crystal lattice resolution and up to 0.23 nm point-to-point resolution thus providing meaningful magnification for direct imaging of nanomaterials for size distribution and morphology determination for the applications outlined in the proposal. In addition, the ability to perform scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in conjunction with its energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis system allows for elemental mapping at the nanoscale allowing for size determination and elemental mapping at grain boundaries and other locations within bulk materials. Highlighted ongoing research projects which will benefit from this instrument include: (1) The characterization of magnetic nanoparticles for use in targeted drug delivery and as mediators in the magnetic fluid hyperthermia treatment of malignant tumors, (2) The fabrication and characterization of reduced graphene oxide films using atmospheric plasma and surface annealing, (3) characterization of polymer and composite fibers and films for biomedical applications, (4) Synthesis and characterization of Na4Mn9O18 cathodes and iron oxide anodes for sodium ion batteries, (5) Synthesis and characterization of materials for advanced solid oxide fuel cells, (6) Growth and characterization of magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria for hyperthermia and micro- and nanorobotics, and (7) The study of the interactions of ligand-capped fold nanostructures with metal ions.