Scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy capabilites for studying the structure and elemental composition of inorganic and polymeric nanomaterials

该提案描述了将受到具有能量色散x射线光谱能力（SEM-EDS）的拟议扫描电子显微镜收购影响的研究。目前需要这笔资金来填补部门的几个空缺。首先，我们部门越来越多地参与材料研究，这在很大程度上依赖于SEM成像（仅Serpe组的研究就可以从日常访问中受益匪浅）；目前的大学设施不支持表征我们材料所需的研究水平。其次，校园里没有任何设施支持对研究生进行SEM-EDS技术的培训。收购拟议的SEM-EDS将填补这些空白，并使我们的学生在研究和培训方面取得真正的进步。该系统将支持的具体研究包括：1)胶体和聚合物科学的基础和应用；2)纳米微光子学；3)基础与应用无机材料/纳米材料化学；4)金属纳米粒子在超灵敏生物传感中的应用；5)太阳能电池技术的发展。获得拟议的SEM-EDS将使所有这些项目通过允许学生每天访问他们所需的资源来表征他们的材料，以便他们的研究的下一步可以有逻辑地和迅速地计划。

This proposal describes research that will be impacted by the acquisition of the proposed scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy capabilities (SEM-EDS). The funds are needed at this time to fill a couple of voids in the department. First, our department is becoming more involved in materials research, which relies heavily on SEM imaging (research in the Serpe group alone could benefit greatly from daily access); the current University facilities do not support the level of research required to characterize our materials. Second, there is no facility on campus that supports the training of graduate students on SEM-EDS techniques. Acquisition of the proposed SEM-EDS will fill these voids, and allow our students to make real progress both in research and training. The specific research that will be supported by this system includes: 1) fundamental and applied colloid and polymer science; 2) nano-micro photonics; 3) fundamental and applied inorganic materials/nanomaterials chemistry; 4) metal nanoparticle development for ultrasensitive biosensing; and 5) solar cell technology development. Acquisition of the proposed SEM-EDS will enable all of these projects by allowing students daily access to the resources they need to characterize their materials, so that the next steps in their research can be planned logically and expeditiously.