Core Capital 2020

在工程和科学学院内分发了公开征求建议书，强调纳米材料是优先主题。一个由资深学者组成的小组对提案进行了审查和排名，该小组由教师研究负责人和领先的纳米材料研究人员组成，以确保最大限度地覆盖今年的分配并产生影响。所有设备都为该大学的至少一个材料优先领域提供了多用户支持，其中一些将支持非常庞大的研究团队。因此，这些优先项目有望在谢菲尔德未来十年的材料研究领域产生持续、积极的影响。1.超连续激光-将向三个不同的实验室提供可广泛调谐的激光，用于研究先进的有机和无机半导体纳米材料和新型光子器件。所要求的可调谐激光系统预计将成为日常表征中不可或缺的工具，但它也将是一个重要的探索工具，使新材料能够使用传统固定频率激光范围之外的多种光学光谱方法进行测试。2.小角X射线散射(SAXS)光束线升级该仪器是分析化学、物理、工程和生物等多种纳米材料结构的重要工具。通过提高灵敏度、减少数据采集时间和自动更换样品设备，升级将显著提高我们SAXS仪器的生产率。氧气等离子体清洁器该设备将支持研究人员在一系列纳米材料领域工作，包括聚合物、薄膜和超薄膜、纳米复合材料、光子材料、石墨烯和2D材料，其广泛应用包括太阳能电池和抗生素。它允许用户清洁/蚀刻衬底上的有机污染物和生物膜，促进润湿，并可用于选择性地深度蚀刻。还可以改善层的附着力，以促进薄层与基材的结合。扫描电子显微镜该仪器将支持科学和工程学院的材料科学和工程研究的全光谱。该设备将执行基本的电子成像到纳米分辨率和X射线成分分析。因此，凭借现代的用户友好界面，该设备将作为一种主要工具，使与EPSRC研究项目相关的大量多学科用户群受益。它将取代过时的模型，并将具有额外的功能，以集成不同形式的成像，阻止仪器与样品的意外碰撞，使精细表面结构和水合状态的样品能够成像。5.多功能摩擦试验机多功能摩擦试验机是一种用于进行摩擦学实验的多功能试验机。在它的核心，两个部件可以以受控的方式加载并相互滚动/滑动。这可以复制轴承、密封件、活塞和阀门、轮轨接口、鞋面/地板接触、机械和人体组织关节、机械加工接触和金属成型制造中材料的行为。这项投资将使研究团队能够实时探索表面变化，对实验有更多的控制，并在对人体组织研究有用的规模上进行测试。

An open invitation for proposals was circulated within the Faculties of Engineering and Science, highlighting nanomaterials as a priority topic. Proposals were reviewed and ranked by a panel of senior academics, composed of faculty research leads and leading nanomaterials researchers to ensure maximum reach and impact from this year's allocation. All pieces of equipment provide underpinning multi-user support for at least one of the University's materials priority areas, and some will support very large teams of researchers. Thus, the prioritised items promise to make sustained, positive impact across a broad swathe of research in materials in Sheffield for the next decade. 1. Supercontiuum Laser - will provide widely spectrally tunable laser light to three separate laboratories for studies of advanced organic and inorganic semiconducting nano-materials and novel photonic devices. The requested tunable laser system is anticipated to become an indispensable tool in day-to-day characterisation but it will also be an important exploration tool, enabling new materials to be tested using a multitude of optical spectroscopy methods outside the range of conventional fixed frequency lasers. 2. Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) beamline upgradesThis instrument is a vital tool for the structural characterisation of many types of nanomaterials spanning chemistry, physics, engineering and biology. The upgrades will significantly improve productivity of our SAXS instrument through improved sensitivity, reduced data acquisition times and an automatic sample changing facility.3. Oxygen Plasma CleanerThis equipment will support researchers working in a range of nanomaterial topics including polymers, thin and ultra thin films, nanocomposites, photonic materials, graphene and 2D materials, with wide-ranging applications including solar cells and antibiotics. It allows users to clean/etch organic contaminants and bio-films from substrates, promotes wetting, and can be used to selectively depth etch. Adhesion of layers can also be improved to promote bonding of thin layers to a substrate.4. Scanning Electron MicroscopeThis instrument will underpin the full spectrum of materials science and engineering research across the Faculties of Science and Engineering. The equipment will perform basic electron imaging to nm resolution and X-ray compositional analysis. As such, and with a modern user friendly interface, the equipment will function as a work-horse instrument benefiting a large multidisciplinary user base relevant to the EPSRC research portfolio. It will replace an obsolete model and will have additional functionality to integrate different forms of imaging, stop accidental collision of instrumentation with the specimen, enable imaging of fine surface structures and specimens in their hydrated state. 5. Multifunction Tribometer The multi-function tribometer is a versatile test machine for conducting tribological experiments. At its heart, two components can be loaded and rolled/slid against each other in a controlled manner. This can replicate the behaviour of materials in bearings, seals, pistons and valves, wheel/rail interface, shoe tread/floor contact, mechanical and human tissue joints, machining contacts, and metal forming manufacturing. This investment will enable research teams to explore surface changes in real time, have more control over experiments and test at scales useful for human tissue studies.