Non-technical abstract The new multipurpose X-ray diffractometer system (MXDS) will support advanced materials research in a variety of multidisciplinary programs at Rensselaer, and serve as an educational tool for hands-on training to undergraduate and graduate students through newly designed laboratory modules. This instrument will directly impact more than 35 projects in 12 major research programs in 8 academic departments and 4 research centers at Rensselaer in the areas of nano- and bio-sciences and device technologies. In particular, the MXDS will serve as a key central facility for studies involving the synthesis, fabrication, assembly, stability and properties of a wide range of novel materials for energy generation, nanoelectronics, solid-state lighting, infrared detection, light-weight composites, biological-assembly, detection and sensing, tissue engineering, and early earth studies for understanding climatic changes. More than 18 faculty, 21 post-doctoral fellows, 69 graduate students (16 women/minorities), and 29 undergraduate researchers from 8 departments across the schools of engineering and sciences and 4 research centers funded through federal, state and industrial grants, will use this instrument on a regular basis. The MXDS will be used for in 4 undergraduate and 3 graduate courses through laboratory modules and live experimental demonstrations, to enrich the educational experience of more than 700 students per year. Additionally, the new instrument will be available for training and access to more than 70 student participants each year in Rensselaer?s K-12 and summer outreach programs --including those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Finally, the MXDS will also be used by other local educational institutions and the industry, including Union College and General Electric, for research and training.
The new multipurpose X-ray diffractometer system (MXDS) will serve as an essential cornerstone tool for characterizing the structure of advanced materials in a variety of multidisciplinary programs at Rensselaer, and for enriching the educational experience of students through demonstrations and hands-on research. The MXDS will be used to characterize a wide range of novel materials and composites in bulk, micro- and nano-structured forms, impacting 35 projects in 12 major research programs in 8 academic departments and 4 research centers in the areas of nano-, bio- and geo-sciences and device technologies. The state-of-the-art MXDS will be a versatile medium-resolution X-ray diffraction system used for characterizing crystal structure, phase formation, transformations and stability, preferred orientation, residual stresses and reflectivity in a variety of materials. The MXDS includes a multiple strip detector for rapid high-signal-to-noise ratio data collection, a capillary pipe collimator for spatially resolved microdiffraction, and a hot-stage for phase transition kinetics studies. The MXDS will be used in laboratory modules and live demonstrations in 4 undergraduate (including the Materials Science for Engineers course wit 500+ students) and 3 graduate courses to provide enriched education in the rudiments of diffraction and materials structure characterization. Additionally, the new instrument will be available for training and access to more than 70 student participants each year in Rensselaer?s K-12 and summer outreach programs --including those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Finally, this instrument will also be used by other local educational institutions and the industry, including Union College and General Electric, for research and training. The software supports advanced analyses and user-friendly interfacing for remote operation, real-time classroom demonstrations, and outreach through laboratory modules.
