MRI: Acquisition of a Cryogen-free Cooling System to Enable Multi-Modal Materials Research and Research Training

对材料性能进行定期、可靠测量的能力是现代材料物理研究和培训的基石。 CUNY-Brooklyn College的物理性质测量系统（PPMS）目前提供在宽温度范围内和高达9特斯拉的磁场中对电，磁和热力学材料性质的基本测量。 为PPMS购买无冷冻剂杜瓦瓶将大大提高CUNY-Brooklyn College研究人员的合作能力，并通过消除购买昂贵的液氦来冷却磁体和样品测量室来及时响应研究需求。 PPMS的无低温运行将最大限度地提高研究产出，从而实现能源相关科学的3个关键领域的创新：压力驱动冷却和磁冷却以及铝离子电池技术。 无低温操作还将为高中生、本科生和研究生提供研究培训机会，其中许多人来自代表性不足的群体。 升级后的仪器的使用寿命将超过10年，而今后的操作和维护费用已经过认真评估，将大幅减少。 CUNY-Brooklyn College为物理性能测量系统（PPMS）购买无低温杜瓦瓶将在能源相关科学的3个领域实现变革性研究：（1）研究在室温附近具有自旋交叉转变的金属有机分子和聚合物结构的（压力，温度）相图;目的是了解不同配体和侧链在自旋交叉化合物对静水压力的响应中的作用，建立在我们最近的工作基础上，该工作最近证明了这类化合物中的第一个巨大的barocaloric效应;（2）使用布鲁克林学院的本科生最近建造和测试的传感器进行绝热温度变化测量;结果将与同步加速器源处的硬X射线的总散射相关联。(3)对下一代铝离子电池电解质的离子电导率和粘度进行实验，从而研究离子传输的基本特性，使其比当前的锂基技术具有更好、更安全的性能。 该研究将产生社会和技术影响，因为它的动机是减少冷却的环境足迹和寻求电池技术的改进。该奖项反映了NSF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。

The ability to conduct regular, reliable measurements of material properties is a cornerstone of modern materials physics research and training. The physical property measurement system (PPMS) at CUNY-Brooklyn College currently provides essential measurement of electrical, magnetic and thermodynamic material properties over a wide range of temperature and in magnetic fields of up to 9 Tesla. The acquisition of a cryogen-free dewar for the PPMS will greatly improve CUNY-Brooklyn College researchers' ability to collaborate and respond to research needs in a timely fashion by eliminating the need to purchase expensive liquid helium to cool the magnet and sample measurement chamber. Cryogen-free operation of the PPMS will maximize research output, allowing innovation in 3 key areas of energy-related science: pressaure-driven cooling and magnetic cooling, and aluminum ion battery technology. Cryogen-free operation will also give high school, undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom are from under-represented groups, research training opportunities. The lifespan of the upgraded instrument will be more than 10 years, while the costs of future operation and maintenance have been carefully assessed and will be reduced significantly. The acquisition of a cryogen-free dewar for the physical property measurement system (PPMS) at CUNY-Brooklyn College will enable transformative research in 3 areas of energy-related science: (1) investigate the (pressure,temperature) phase diagram of metal-organic molecules and polymeric structures that have spin crossover transitions near room temperature; the aim is to understand the role of different ligands and side-chains in the response of spin crossover compounds to hydrostatic pressure, building on our recent work that has recently demonstrated the first giant barocaloric effect in this class of compounds; (2) adiabatic temperature change measurements using a sensor recently constructed and tested by undergraduates at Brooklyn College; the results will be correlated with total scattering of hard x-rays at synchrotron sources. (3) ionic conductivity and viscosity experiments on electrolytes for next- generation aluminum ion batteries, thereby investigating fundamental characteristics of ion transport that enable better, safer performance than current lithium-based technology. The research will have societal and technological impact as it is motivated by the need to reduce the environmental footprint of cooling and by seeking improvements in battery technology.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.