| NSF Org: |
DMR Division Of Materials Research |
| Recipient: |
|
| Initial Amendment Date: | August 20, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 20, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1725016 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Guebre Tessema
gtessema@nsf.gov (703)292-4935 DMR Division Of Materials Research MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2017 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $266,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $266,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
|
| History of Investigator: |
|
| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
701 S 20TH STREET BIRMINGHAM AL US 35294-0001 (205)934-5266 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
| Primary Place of Performance: |
310 Campbell Hall, Department of BIRMINGHAM AL US 35294-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
| Parent UEI: |
|
| NSF Program(s): | Major Research Instrumentation |
| Primary Program Source: |
|
| Program Reference Code(s): |
|
| Program Element Code(s): |
|
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the University of Alabama at Birmingham to acquire a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer for interdisciplinary materials research and education. X-ray characterization of crystal structures, crystal orientations, and nanometer-sized materials plays a key role in development of new materials. The faculty members associated with this project are involved in a variety of research fields including super-hard materials for industrial applications, semiconductors, novel materials for lasers, materials for energy applications, and biomaterials used in implants and regenerative medicine research. This instrument also plays a significant role in the education of graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of disciplines including biology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, materials science and engineering, and physics. A significant fraction of graduate and undergraduate students involved in this project belongs to groups that are underrepresented in the science and engineering disciplines. The acquisition of multipurpose diffractometer allows for development of new courses and enhancement of existing courses in the area of thin-film devices and nanostructures. Such courses at graduate and undergraduate levels enhance training for much needed advanced manufacturing workforce.
Recent innovations in x-ray detector technologies, x-ray mirrors, and x-ray monochromators have made it possible for a new class of diffractometers that can provide all the desired x-ray measurements in one instrument with minimal switching time between various applications. This acquisition of a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer allows studies on bulk and thin-film materials, preferred orientation or texture in materials, and particle/pore size, homogeneity of the nanostructured samples by small-angle x-ray scattering. It enables transformative research in nanostructured diamond thin-film deposition on metals, doped chalcogenide crystals for mid-infrared lasers, oxide materials for fuel cells, epitaxial semiconductors for high-power electronic devices, catalysts, nanocomposites, and materials for biomedical implants and tissue engineering applications. These studies are led by an interdisciplinary team of faculty and result in a fundamental understanding of structural phase transformations and interfaces, mechanical wear behavior in extreme environments, efficiency of mid infrared lasers, texture and strain in crystalline materials, and biocompatibility of materials.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Note:
When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external
site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a
charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from
this site.
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.
The acquisition of multipurpose X-ray diffractometer has resulted in transformative research on novel superhard materials, materials for mid-infrared lasers, fuel cell oxide materials, epitaxial semiconductors for high-power electronic devices, catalysts, nanocomposites, and materials for biomedical implants and tissue engineering applications. X-ray structural characterization of thin-film materials provides critical input to fundamental understanding of structural phase transformations and interfaces, mechanical wear behavior in extreme environments, efficiency of mid infrared lasers, texture and strain in crystalline materials, and biocompatibility of materials. The materials science studies enabled by this instrumentation has contributed to achieving the goals of the National Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) that discover, manufacture, and deploy advanced materials twice as fast, at a fraction of the cost.
There was an extensive utilization of this multi-purpose x-ray diffractometer in the training of graduate students enrolled in the physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition, the multi-purpose x-ray diffractometer forms an important component of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) projects during the summer period. A special emphasis on recruiting students from underrepresented minority groups in the sciences and engineering has been highly successful as 53 % of our REU participants are women and 73 % are underrepresented minorities during the past three-years. The research training provided by this x-ray facility prepares graduate and undergraduate students for much needed advanced manufacturing workforce in the United States.
Last Modified: 11/06/2019
Modified by: Yogesh K Vohra
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
