MRI: Acquisition of A Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope with Serial Block-Face Imaging for Bio and Soft Materials Research

MRI：获取具有串行块面成像的可变压力扫描电子显微镜，用于生物和软材料研究

• 批准号: 1919324
• 负责人: David Hoagland
• 金额: $ 52.69万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-09-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1919324&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Variable; Pressure; Scanning

Nano- and micro-structures occur abundantly in both the natural world and in synthetic materials, and their technological role is growing rapidly. The imaging of these small structures is difficult, as they are too small to see with the eye or ordinary optical microscope. Electron microscopes, which employ electrons instead of light for imaging, can achieve the necessary magnifications. With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Electron Microscopy Center is acquiring a scanning electron microscope with three unique features: (i) no requirement for exposing specimens to high vacuum, (ii) mitigation of the charge usually accumulated during imaging, and (iii) an integrated microtome. Amplifying on the latter, an integrated microtome allows serial sectioning of specimens as a means to gather a sequence of two-dimensional images that can be combined into a single, much more informative three-dimensional image. The instrument is a shared resource supporting research and teaching across campus as well as at several nearby undergraduate colleges. UMass Amherst has more than 50 vibrant funded research collaborations with U.S. companies, and many of these collaborations are being strengthened by the new capabilities to characterize specimens such as gels, emulsions, composites, adhesives, sensors, biological tissues, and individual cells. The Center has a strong track record in producing highly skilled microscopists, and the new instrument plays a central role in innovative undergraduate and graduate laboratory courses that afford hands-on training in electron microscopy, an expertise offered at few institutions in the nation.Technical AbstractWith this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Electron Microscopy Center is acquiring a Variable-Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (VP-SEM) equipped with both a cryo-stage and a modular microtome for serial block-face imaging. The instrument operates at reduced pressure and provides gas injection for charge compensation, features that advance the imaging of insulating and/or solvated soft materials and life science specimens. In conjunction with advanced reconstruction software, the ultramicrotome will afford mapping in three-dimensions. As a field emission SEM with an energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometer, an added capability is three-dimensional elemental mapping. None of these capabilities was previously available in the Center. Together the new capabilities boost research directed at diverse topics such as: particle dynamics and structuring on non-volatile and modestly volatile liquids; morphologies of solvated films, membranes, and gels; and cell protein localization and neuron mapping. These projects span the campus and beyond, and users come from 20 or more University of Massachusetts Amherst departments as well as from 7 to 10 nearby colleges. Placed alongside an existing High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and an Energy-Filtered Field Emission Transmission Electron Microscope, the VP-SEM complements a strong suite of electron microscopy capabilities, furthering numerous individual research projects while sparking cross-pollination of ideas between materials and life science researchers. In addition to access through undergraduate and graduate courses, the VP-SEM will be available to users from collaborating U.S. companies, which number more than 50. In conjunction with other NSF-supported research projects at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, attractive images are being provided to Ventures in Science Using Arts Laboratory (VISUAL), an outreach effort that places these images, along with a laymen's explanation, in high track public venues.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.

纳米和微米结构在自然界和合成材料中大量存在，并且它们的技术作用正在迅速增长。 这些小结构的成像很困难，因为它们太小，无法用眼睛或普通光学显微镜看到。 电子显微镜利用电子而不是光进行成像，可以实现必要的放大倍数。 凭借主要研究仪器计划的这一奖项，马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特电子显微镜中心正在购买一款具有三个独特功能的扫描电子显微镜：(i) 不需要将样本暴露在高真空中，(ii) 减轻通常积累的电荷成像期间，以及 (iii) 集成切片机。 在后者的基础上，集成切片机可以对标本进行连续切片，作为收集一系列二维图像的手段，这些图像可以组合成单个、信息量更大的三维图像。 该仪器是一种共享资源，支持整个校园以及附近几所本科院校的研究和教学。 麻省大学阿默斯特分校与美国公司开展了 50 多项充满活力的资助研究合作，其中许多合作正在通过表征凝胶、乳液、复合材料、粘合剂、传感器、生物组织和单个细胞等样本的新功能得到加强。 该中心在培养高技能显微镜专家方面拥有良好的记录，新仪器在创新的本科生和研究生实验室课程中发挥着核心作用，这些课程提供电子显微镜的实践培训，这是美国少数机构提供的专业知识。该奖项来自主要研究仪器项目，马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特电子显微镜中心正在购买一台变压扫描电子显微镜（VP-SEM），配备冷冻台和用于串行块面的模块化切片机成像。该仪器在减压下运行，并提供气体注入以进行电荷补偿，这些功能可促进绝缘和/或溶剂化软材料和生命科学样本的成像。与先进的重建软件相结合，超薄切片机将提供三维绘图。 作为配备能量色散 X 射线光谱仪的场发射 SEM，附加功能是三维元素映射。 该中心以前不具备这些功能。 这些新功能共同促进了针对不同主题的研究，例如：非挥发性和适度挥发性液体的粒子动力学和结构；溶剂化薄膜、膜和凝胶的形态；以及细胞蛋白质定位和神经元绘图。这些项目遍布校园内外，用户来自马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校的 20 个或更多院系以及附近的 7 到 10 所学院。 与现有的高分辨率场发射扫描电子显微镜和能量过滤场发射透射电子显微镜一起放置，VP-SEM 补充了一套强大的电子显微镜功能，进一步推进了众多单独的研究项目，同时激发了材料之间思想的交叉授粉和生命科学研究人员。 除了通过本科生和研究生课程访问外，VP-SEM 还将向超过 50 家美国合作公司的用户开放。与马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校其他 NSF 支持的研究项目相结合，正在制作吸引人的图像。提供给科学利用艺术实验室 (VISUAL) 的一项外展工作，将这些图像与外行人士的解释一起放置在高轨道公共场所。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并被认为值得支持通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估。

项目成果

Liquid-Infused Membranes Exhibit Stable Flux and Fouling Resistance

液体注入膜具有稳定的通量和抗污染性

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c20674
• 发表时间: 2022-02
• 期刊: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
• 影响因子: 9.5
• 作者: Shah, Rushabh M.;Cihanoğlu, Aydın;Hardcastle, Justin;Howell, Caitlin;Schiffman, Jessica D.
• 通讯作者: Schiffman, Jessica D.