This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program Professor John J. Bozzola and colleagues Samir M. Aouadi, Peter Filip, Punit Kohli and Shing-Chung Max Yen from the Integrated Microscopy and Graphics Expertise (IMAGE) facility at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale will acquire a high resolution, field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM). This facility is used by a large number of researchers in fields as diverse as biomolecular sensing to atmospheric to geological sciences and engineering. The facility is administratively housed at the Graduate School. The instrument will be used to support research activities such as: 1) studies of nanoscience applications to bioanalytical and materials chemistry; 2) adaptive nanocomposite and textured tribological coatings; 3) dendron-functionalized superconducting iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as pH-sensing MRI contrast agents; 4) application development using carbon nanotubes, nanowires and carbon nanotube-based hybrid materials; 5) surface phenomena and imaging of nanostructures to study the interplay between surfaces and bulk electronic properties of individual nanostructures; 6) study of modified matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) targets as advanced platforms for biomarker screening/comparative proteomics; 7) studies of the generation, processing and fate of atmospheric particulate matter; 8) applications of sol-gel derived materials; 9) study of bacterial degradation of cellulose; and 10) study of oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals.
A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a widely used technique for providing an image of a sample surface. The image is obtained from scanning the surface with a beam of electrons. This mainstay technique enables scientists to see the ultrastructural details of fabricated systems, molecular arrangements of man-made nanostructures and the subtle changes associated with friction and wear in surfaces. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including chemistry, materials chemistry, geology, biochemistry and the environment. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.
Funding through a NSF- 0959568 grant was used for the purchase of a high resolution, field emission FEI Quanta 450 scanning electron microscope (SEM) with microanalytical capabilities. The equipment is housed in a specially designed, stand-alone building serving the imaging and microanalytical needs of Southern Illinois University as well as universities, colleges and industries within a 90-mile radius. This instrumentation replaced an obsolescent, 28 year-old, conventional SEM heavily used by chemists, physicists, engineers and biologists at the Integrated Microscopy and Graphics Expertise (IMAGE) facility. The acquired instrument provided many PIs at SIUC with access to the state-of-the-art SEM for numerous, high-quality research projects that have been continuously funded by agencies such as NSF, private industry and other federal agencies. These studies involve large numbers of investigators and students exploring high-priority research areas in materials-, life-, biological- and energy-sciences. The research utilizing SEM has yielded >22 publications in well-regarded journals, >7 invited talks at various national and international universities and labs, >32 scientific posters and presentations by graduate and undergraduate students in scientific meetings and workshops, and at least one patent application. More than >30 students (high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral) have utilized this microscope for their research. More than five of these students were either minority or underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. More seven students have received Ph.D./MS degree who utilized heavily this instrument for their degree work. Furthermore, more ten more students are expected to graduate (Ph.D. or MS) within next two years who have been using NSF-funded SEM for their work. Moreover, we have also given >10 tours and workshops to local high school students in our labs and SEM demonstration/workshop. We strongly believe that through NSF funding, many of our students have gained invaluable training and hand-on knowledge. These students are now employed at various universities, research labs and companies in the US and are (and will be) contributing to national economy. NSF-funded SEM has also been used for collaboration with many industrial companies for helping our industrial partners improve their products and development new products. Without NSF funding, many of our students and researchers will not be able to perform high quality research, and thus, will not be able to contribute to the US economy.
