Upgrade to optical shearing system

该应用程序用于升级Linkam CSS450光学剪切系统，该系统是用2000-01研究工具和设备竞赛中获得的资金购买的。操作原理是在用显微镜观察时将剪切场施加到液体样品上。该系统由专用显微镜、摄像机和图像采集硬件和软件组成，并与计算机连接。它已被广泛用于研究剪切作用下的一系列胶体悬浮液，包括絮凝酵母悬浮液、食品聚合物和其他胶体材料。然而，目前的系统（购买时是最先进的）不再适合申请人的研究项目，因为它在温度控制方面的能力有限，特别是冷却到零度以下的温度，以及不充分的图像捕获和数据分析能力。要求的升级包括：(a)用于控制冷却到零度以下温度的液氮冷却附件，(b)用于在弱光条件下操作的高速数码相机，(c)能够处理产生的大量数据的新数据处理系统（计算机和软件），以及(d)用于不需要液氮冷却时的非冷冻冷却浴。我们要求对现有系统进行升级，因为它的成本大约是购买新系统的一半，而且系统的核心剪切细胞功能齐全。

This application is for an upgrade to a Linkam CSS450 Optical Shearing System which was purchased with funds received in the 2000-01 Research Tools and Equipment Competition. The principal of operation is the imposition of shearing fields onto a liquid sample while viewing with a microscope. The system consists of a specialized microscope, video camera and image capture hardware and software, interfaced with a computer. It has been used extensively to study a range of colloidal suspensions under shear, including flocculent yeast suspensions, food polymers and other colloidal materials. However, the present system (which was state-of-the-art when purchased) is no longer suitable for the research programs of the applicants due to its limited capabilities with respect to temperature control, especially cooling to sub-zero temperatures, and inadequate image capture and data analysis capabilities. The requested upgrade includes: (a) a liquid-nitrogen cooling accessory for controlled cooling to sub-zero temperatures, (b) a high-speed digital camera for operation under low-light conditions, (c) a new data handling system (computer and software) capable of handling the large amounts of data produced, and (d) a non-cryo cooling bath for when liquid nitrogen cooling is not required. We are requesting an upgrade to the existing system because it costs about half as much as purchasing a new system, and the heart of the system, the shear cell, is fully functioning.