Microscope System for Automated Analysis of the Size and Shape of Fragments and Particles

该提案要求提供资金，以购买一个能够自动分析0.5微米至5毫米大小的单个碎片形状和大小的最先进的显微镜系统。与手工技术相比，该系统大大减少了测量时间（分钟与小时），并提供了无法通过传统筛分或光散射技术获得的单个大小和形状数据。利用这些独特的能力，我们的团队将能够获得比目前更多的实质性碎片数据集，这将导致我们的研究计划中对碎片的理解和建模的重大进展。这将使我们的团队能够在三个核心项目中做出重大的基础和应用贡献，这些项目支持占加拿大1.59万亿美元GDP的20%的行业： 1.在国防部，我们对动态脆性断裂的研究将导致用于个人防护的下一代陶瓷材料的开发，这将减少伤害并挽救生命。 2.自然资源和能源，我们对采矿破碎和矿物加工过程中的磨损的研究将大大减少能源使用和废物，目前每年花费阿尔伯塔约10亿美元。 3.制造业，我们对粉末尺寸和形状的了解将使我们的研究人员能够生产出具有可靠性的工业质量部件。 颗粒分析系统的自动化系统将在我们的跨学科研究计划中增强当前NSERC和CFI支持的制造和测试设施，这将在未来五年内支持来自化学和材料以及机械工程部门的55名高素质人员（HQP）。所有申请人都熟悉类似的规模技术，并在开放获取设施中进行分期，这将确保其最大限度地利用（每年约800个样本）。这包括外部用户的预期持续使用（例如，美国陆军，壳牌公司）。由于在加拿大的大学中没有类似的系统，而在美国只有少数，我们相信获得拟议的设备将为HQP提供一个世界级的培训环境，以培养在全球市场竞争所需的宝贵的多学科和专业实践技能。这些培训的好处加上HQP获得独特数据集的机会，这些数据集将成为增加基础发现，更有影响力的出版物以及扩展有前途的新研究方向的基础。延迟获取这些拟议设备将减少HQP培训，这将限制我们项目的科学进步和创新。这将限制吸引更多工业合作伙伴和国际公认的科学合作者的潜力。

This proposal requests funds to purchase a state-of-the-art microscope system that is capable of automated analysis of individual fragment shapes and sizes, for sizes between 0.5 microns and 5 mm. This system reduces measurement times significantly in comparison to manual techniques (mins vs. hours), as well as provides individual size and shape data, which cannot be obtained from conventional sieving or light-scatter technologies. Using these unique capabilities, our team will be able to acquire more substantive fragmentation data sets than are currently available, and this will lead to major advancements in understanding and modelling fragmentation within our research programs. This will allow our teams to make significant fundamental and applied contributions in three core programs which support industries representing 20% of Canada’s 1.59 trillion dollar GDP: 1. Defense, where our research on dynamic brittle fragmentation will lead to the development of next-generation ceramic materials used for personal protection that will reduce injuries and save lives. 2. Natural Resources and Energy, where our research on mining fragmentation and wear during mineral processing will significantly reduce energy use and waste products, which currently costs Alberta ~1 billion dollars annually. 3. Manufacturing, where our knowledge of powder size and shape will allow our researchers to produce industry-quality components with assured reliability. The automated system for particle analysis system will augment current NSERC- and CFI-supported manufacturing and testing facilities across our interdisciplinary research programs, which will support over 55 highly qualified personnel (HQP) from the departments of Chemical and Materials, and Mechanical Engineering over the next five years. The familiarity with similar sizing technologies by all applicants and its staging in open-access facilities will ensure its maximum utilization (~800 samples per year). This includes expected continual use by external users (e.g., US Army, Shell). As there exists no comparable system at a university in Canada and only a few in the USA, we believe access to the proposed equipment will provide a world-class training environment for HQP to develop valuable multidisciplinary and specialized hands-on technical skills needed to compete in the global marketplace. These training benefits are coupled with opportunities for HQP to acquire unique data sets that will serve as the foundation for increased fundamental discoveries, more impactful publications, and the expansion of promising new research directions. A delay in acquiring this proposed equipment will diminish HQP training, and this will constrain the scientific progress and innovation of our programs. Combined, this will limit the potential for attracting additional industrial partners and internationally-recognized scientific collaborators.