MRI: Acquisition of a Powder X-Ray Diffractometer (PXRD) for Interdisciplinary Research and Research Training

MRI：购买粉末 X 射线衍射仪 (PXRD) 用于跨学科研究和研究培训

• 批准号: 1828144
• 负责人: Samuel Amanuel
• 金额: $ 32.74万
• 依托单位: Union College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-01 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1828144&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Powder; Ray; Diffractometer

High quality powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data is required to fully characterize the crystalline structure of materials, and has wide ranging applicability in the sciences and engineering. Research activities at Union College that require PXRD span the departments of mechanical engineering, physics and astronomy, chemistry and geology, and the interdisciplinary programs of nanoscience and environmental science, policy and engineering. The major fundamental scientific questions under investigation include: (1) How can the photo-efficiencies of thin film solar materials be improved? (2) How can new nanomaterials be used in applications such as protective coatings and nanoelectronics? (3) What role do interfacial molecules play in the phase transitions of nanomaterials? (4) How can better aerogel materials be created to reduce automotive pollution? (5) How can unwanted phase changes occurring in the production and storage of chocolate be minimized? (6) How old is the solar system and what is the composition of the deep Earth? (7) How do hydrothermal systems record volcanic activity? The research and research training to be enabled will further strengthen Union's longstanding commitment to incorporate research as an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum and to develop innovative, multidisciplinary research and teaching opportunities through state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instrument will be used in at least eight regularly offered courses serving approximately 180-200 students annually, nearly 10% of the student population. The instrument will fundamentally improve the way diffraction can be taught, allowing students to better engage with the concept of three-dimensional crystal structures and visualization. This new instrumentation will also serve as a bridge to link classroom and research experiences. The instrument will be used in over thirty undergraduate research projects annually, including many students from traditionally underrepresented groups. The mentoring students receive through their projects and courses will prepare students well to move on to either graduate school or productive careers in STEM fields.This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports Union College to acquire a new powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) system with low angle and variable temperature capabilities that will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing research efforts by increasing instrument sensitivity, reducing collection times, adding a 2D detector and controlled sample environments, and providing a modern, more user friendly operating interface. The new PXRD platform affords versatile powder diffraction applications including phase identification, quantitative analysis, percent crystallinity, crystallite size and lattice strain analyses, particle size, precise lattice parameter determination, pole figures, and Rietveld refinement. A key advantage of the system is its high-speed detector, which is relatively maintenance free and requires no cooling, no detector gas, and no wire replacements. This diffractometer has automatic alignment, an advanced software system, and cross beam optics capability, that combine to create a flexible, intelligence-based data collection platform. In addition to supporting current research projects, this new instrument will allow the PI's to continue to develop new and innovative research programs that have potential to be transformative in areas of applied science related to sustainability and clean energy as well as in several subfields of fundamental science including condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, planetary science, and geochemistry. PXRD data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and undergraduate theses and presented at professional society conferences (e.g. the American Chemical Society, the Materials Research Society, the American Institute of Physics, the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, the Meteoritical Society, and the American Physical Society). Access will be provided to collaborators and outside researchers who might benefit from accessing archives of primary data to support their own research initiatives.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.

需要高质量的粉末X射线衍射（PXRD）数据才能充分表征材料的结晶结构，并且在科学和工程中具有广泛的适用性。 Union College的研究活动要求PXRD涵盖机械工程，物理和天文学，化学和地质学的部门，以及纳米科学和环境科学，政策与工程学的跨学科计划。所研究的主要基本科学问题包括：（1）如何改善薄膜太阳能的光效应？ （2）如何将新的纳米材料用于保护性涂料和纳米电子产品等应用中？ （3）界面分子在纳米材料的相变中起什么作用？ （4）如何创建更好的气瓶材料来减少汽车污染？ （5）如何将巧克力的生产和存储中的不必要的相变量最小化？ （6）太阳系多大了，深地球的组成是什么？ （7）水热系统如何记录火山活动？启用的研究和研究培训将进一步加强工会长期承诺，将研究纳入本科课程的组成部分，并通过先进的仪器开发创新的，多学科的研究和教学机会。该乐器将在至少八个定期提供的课程中使用，每年约180-200名学生，占学生群体的近10％。该仪器将从根本上改善可以教授衍射的方式，从而使学生更好地参与三维晶体结构和可视化的概念。这种新的仪器还将成为链接教室和研究经验的桥梁。该乐器每年将在30多个本科研究项目中使用，其中包括许多传统代表性群体的学生。指导学生通过他们的项目和课程获得的教育将为学生提供充分的准备，以继续前往STEM领域的研究生或生产性职业。该奖项的奖项支持联合学院获得工会学院，以低角度和可变的温度能力获得新的粉末X射线衍射（PXRD）系统，从而增强工具的有效性和效率，从而增加了工具的有效性和效率。环境，并提供现代，更友好的操作接口。新的PXRD平台提供了多功能粉末衍射应用，包括相位识别，定量分析，体质百分比，结晶石大小和晶格应变分析，粒径，精确的晶格参数测定，极点图和Rietveld改进。该系统的一个关键优势是其高速检测器，该检测器相对不含维护，不需要冷却，不需要探测器气，也没有替换电线。该衍射仪具有自动对齐，一个高级软件系统和横梁光学功能，可以结合起来创建一个灵活的，基于智能的数据收集平台。除了支持当前的研究项目外，该新工具还将允许PI继续开发新的创新研究计划，这些研究有可能在与可持续性和清洁能源相关的应用科学领域以及在包括凝聚态物理学，材料化学，星球学科学和地球化学的几个基本科学领域进行变革。 PXRD数据将在经过同行评审的期刊和本科论文中发表，并在专业社会会议上发表（例如，美国化学学会，材料研究学会，美国物理研究所，美国地球物理学，美国地质学会，美国地质学会，气象学学会和美国物理学会）。将向合作者和外部研究人员提供访问权限，他们可能会从访问主要数据档案中受益以支持自己的研究计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子和更广泛影响的评估评估来支持的。

项目成果

Effect of Copper Loading in Copper-Alumina Aerogels on Three-Way Catalytic Performance

• DOI: 10.1007/s40825-020-00165-z
• 发表时间: 2020-06
• 期刊: Emission Control Science and Technology
• 影响因子: 1.6
• 作者: A. Anderson;B. A. Bruno;F. Dilone;M. LaRosa;Thomas Andre;Chris Avanessian;Mary K. Carroll

PGM nanoparticle-based alumina aerogels for three-way catalyst applications

用于三效催化剂应用的基于 PGM 纳米颗粒的氧化铝气凝胶

• DOI: 10.1016/j.catcom.2022.106547
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Catalysis Communications
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Anderson, Ann M.;Bruno, Bradford A.;Santos, Joana;Barry, Patrick J.;Carroll, Mary K.
• 通讯作者: Carroll, Mary K.

Twenty years of aerogel research at an undergraduate institution

• DOI: 10.1007/s10971-022-06034-1
• 发表时间: 2023-02-04
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• 影响因子: 2.5
• 作者: Carroll，Mary K.;Anderson，Ann M.
• 通讯作者: Anderson，Ann M.