| NSF Org: |
DMR Division Of Materials Research |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 10, 2016 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 10, 2016 |
| Award Number: | 1625778 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Leonard Spinu
lspinu@nsf.gov (703)292-2665 DMR Division Of Materials Research MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $104,476.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $104,476.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
601 UNIVERSITY DR SAN MARCOS TX US 78666-4684 (512)245-2314 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
TX US 78666-4684 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Major Research Instrumentation |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
Non-technical:
This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant awarded to Texas State University at San Marcos (TxState) provides funding for the acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). This high-resolution instrument enhances the research and educational capabilities at TxState, a Hispanic Serving Institution. Because AFM data is highly visual, the results are accessible to non-scientists and will thus engage students not already committed to STEM. The proposed instrument acquisition will immediately impact 58 students and postdocs upon acquisition (with hundreds of additional users over the lifespan of the instrument). The addition of this tool to TxState, where 55% of the students and postdocs are underrepresented in science and engineering, will have a long-term impact on a diverse population of students and the institution in which they are trained. In addition, this acquisition strengthens, in particular, the research activities of the NSF-funded PREM Center on Interfaces in Materials (PREM: Partnerships in Research and Education in Materials). A primary goal of the PREM Center is to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in materials research. Data from this instrument will impact energy and medical-related research projects that are intended to enrich our lives.
Technical:
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a scanning probe technology that identifies surface features at the nanometer scale. AFM will be used by Texas State University at San Marcos (TxState) to advance fundamental surface science and applications in energy and biomaterials-related research topics. Specifically, this acquisition of a AFM Workshop Life Sciences AFM will impact the following materials research areas: 1) nanocomposites, 2) self-assembly of photoactive bioconjugates, 3) nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion, 4) metallo-supramolecular assembly, 5) perovskite solar cells, and 6) stimuli-responsive biomaterials.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Funds from the National Science Foundation were used to purchase an atomic force microscope for research and teaching at Texas State University. This instrument can provide physical sample information on the nanometer scale, including topography, hardness, adhesion, friction, surface potential, and electrochemistry, all together with the chemical information obtained from Raman spectroscopy. The end result is a more comprehensive sample characterization in one versatile instrument. Twenty Four students were trained on the instrument; this cohort was composed of 17% females and 25% underrepresented individuals. The student cohort was 17% undergraduate researchers, 54% doctoral students, 24% M.S. students and 4% postdoctoral associates. The instrument was used in two physics courses and researchers were from biology, chemistry and biochemistry, physics, engineering. Research groups from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Department of Physics were the heaviest users. The majority of projects involved materials science on topics such as characterization of III-Nitride semiconductors and diamond, characterization of graphene nanosheets, and characterization of nanostructured metal oxides and composites for electrochemical energy storage. This instrument was heavily used during the last three years with an average 90% usage during normal business hours and days. This instruments in part of the Shared Research Operation at Texas State University, where maintenance and training are supervised.
Last Modified: 01/27/2020
Modified by: William Brittain
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