MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for Materials Research and Education

该主要研究仪器奖支持阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校获得用于跨学科材料研究和教育的原子力显微镜。该显微镜支持从软合成水凝胶到相对致密的复合材料和生物结构的各种软材料的多部门研究。该仪器为电、机械、生物和化学性质的定量纳米级制图提供了增强的能力。它在化学、材料科学、生物医学和生物医学工程等领域的学生教育中也起着至关重要的作用。学校不仅为本科生、研究生和博士后提供教育机会，而且还向当地的中学生和高中生提供教育机会。这些多学科的教育努力对于提高人们对化学系、医学系和生物医学工程系研究工作的认识，以改善学生招聘，特别是在代表性不足的人群中，是非常重要的。通过提高社区对生物医学和软材料技术的认识，高水平的研究环境对阿拉巴马州中部的区域经济也至关重要。该原子力显微镜结合了高分辨率和高速成像与定量纳米电子和纳米机械制图的能力。在广泛的操作条件下获得多功能，高分辨率数据的能力允许对广泛的干燥和水合样品进行研究。样品的类型从合成网络、聚合物复合材料、纳米器件到细胞膜和组织。这些样品的共同主题是它们都涉及软材料，即合成聚合物，生物结构或两者的组合。表征最先进的纳米材料的能力的提高导致对软材料的结构特性及其表面成分的基本理解的增强。这包括表面形态对材料的物理、生物和化学特性的影响。这种理解为组织再生治疗、药物递送控制、分子传感和相关生物技术等新材料的开发提供了变革性的研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical DescriptionThis Major Research Instrumentation award supports the University of Alabama at Birmingham to acquire an atomic force microscope for interdisciplinary materials research and education. This microscope supports a diverse, multi-departmental research in soft materials ranging from soft synthetic hydrogels to relatively dense composites and biological structures. The instrument provides enhanced capabilities for quantitative nanoscale mapping of electrical, mechanical, biological, and chemical properties. It also plays a vital role in student education in the fields of chemistry, materials science, biomedical science and biomedical engineering. Educational opportunities are available not only for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows on the campus, but they expand via outreach to local middle and high school students. These multidisciplinary educational efforts are important to increase the recognition of the research efforts in the Departments of Chemistry, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering in order to improve student recruiting, especially among underrepresented populations. A high caliber research environment is also vital to the regional economy in Central Alabama through raising community awareness toward biomedical and soft-materials technologies.Technical DescriptionThis atomic force microscope combines the capabilities for high-resolution and high-speed imaging with quantitative nano-electrical and nanomechanical mapping. The ability to acquire multifunctional, high-resolution data under a wide range of operating conditions allows for studies on a broad spectrum of dry and hydrated samples. The types of samples extend from synthetic networks, polymer composites, nanodevices, to cell membranes and tissues. The common theme among these samples is that they all involve soft materials, i.e., synthetic polymers, biological structures, or combinations of the two. An increased ability to characterize state-of-the-art nanomaterials results in an enhanced fundamental understanding of the structural properties of soft materials and the composition at their surfaces. This includes the effect of the surface morphology on the physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of the materials. The understanding enables transformative research for the development of new materials in tissue regenerative therapies, controlled drug delivery, molecular sensing, and related biotechnologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.