MRI: Acquisition of an X-ray diffractometer for materials structural characterization and research training

非技术摘要：这项重大研究仪器（MRI）奖是为了获得一个多功能X射线衍射仪，这将加强摩根州立大学的研究和教育活动。 所要求的仪器将是至关重要的，在满足先进的结构表征的各种类型的功能材料的需要开发的科学家在摩根州立大学和他们的合作伙伴在其他合作机构。该仪器奖将巩固摩根的科学家与他们在邻近机构的合作伙伴之间的现有研究合作，并允许与其他学术机构和工业部门建立新的联盟。 除了使大学及其合作者受益外，这种仪器的收购将对其他部门产生积极影响。 所要求的资金将加强摩根州立大学的研究基础设施，这是一个HBCU，并将提供研究机会和培训少数民族学生。这将促进该机构初级教师的发展。 这将促进非裔美国人更多地参与材料科学，他们在这一科学领域的代表性不足。 该仪器将提高少数民族学生在摩根州立大学功能材料领域的竞争力。 这将大大增加非裔美国毕业生在就业市场上的机会。技术概要：所采购的多功能X射线衍射仪除了具有高温测量能力外，还包括四圆衍射仪提供的所有典型扫描。该项目的主要研究人员和高级人员来自摩根州立大学和洛约拉大学马里兰州，他们的研究兴趣包括铁磁体、高磁致伸缩合金、纳米材料、热电、低维异质结构、多孔材料、磁电和光学材料。该设备将用于满足PI及其研究合作伙伴开发的各种类型材料的高级结构表征需求，并为学生，博士后和教师提供研究培训。 多功能衍射仪将通过进行以下测量在研究这些材料的结构特性方面发挥关键作用。(1)四圆衍射仪扫描将能够确定材料的结构，量化异质结构中的应变，确定晶体取向和外延，并绘制所研究材料中微晶的分布。(2)所要求的仪器的高温能力将是至关重要的，在调查相变和确定伴随着这种转变的功能材料的结构变化。所有这些测量以及PI和高级人事机构的设施提供的其他分析对于进行尖端研究和推进功能材料领域的科学知识至关重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，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 SUMMARY:This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is to acquire a multifunctional X-ray diffractometer that will enhance research and education activities at Morgan State University. The requested instrument will be crucial in fulfilling the needs of advanced structural characterizations of various types of functional materials developed by scientists at Morgan State University and their partners at other collaborating institutions. This instrumentation award will consolidate the existing research collaboration between Morgan’s scientists and their partners at neighboring institutions and allow the establishment of new alliances with other academic institutions and the industrial sector. In addition to benefiting the university and its collaborators, the acquisition of this instrumentation will positively impact other sectors. The requested funds will enhance the research infrastructure of Morgan State University, which is an HBCU, and will offer research opportunities and training to minority students. It will boost junior faculty development at this institution. This will promote greater participation in materials science by African-Americans, who are underrepresented in this field of science. This instrument will increase the competitiveness of minority students in the functional materials field at Morgan State. This will significantly enhance the opportunities for African-American graduates in the job market.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The multifunctional X-ray diffractometer to be acquired includes all typical scans offered by a four-circle diffractometer in addition to the capability of high temperature measurement. The PIs and the senior personnel of this grant are scientists from Morgan State University and Loyola University Maryland with research interests in materials such as ferromagnets, highly magnetostrictive alloys, nanomaterials, thermo-electrics, low-dimensional hetero-structures, porous materials, magneto-electrics, and optical materials. The equipment will be used to fulfill the needs of advanced structural characterization of various types of materials under development by the PIs and their research partners, as well as to provide research training to students, postdocs and faculty. The multifunctional diffractometer will play a key role in investigating the structural properties of these materials by conducting the following measurements. (1) The four-circle diffractometer scans will enable the determination of the materials' structure, quantify strain in heterostructures, determine the crystallographic orientation and epitaxy, and map the distribution of crystallites in the investigated materials. (2) The high temperature capability of the requested instrument will be crucial in investigating phase transition and determining structural changes accompanying this transition in functional materials. All these measurements together with other analyses offered by facilities at the PIs' and the senior personnel institutions will be crucial in conducting cutting-edge research and advancing scientific knowledge in the field of functional materials. This will enable engineering new advanced materials with superior performances, which will benefit the industrial sector.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.